What Derails Planned ‘US-Israeli Military Operation’ in Syria

Published in sputniknews.com

The United States and Israel were jointly preparing a military operation in Syria but the plan was abandoned following reports about S-400 missile defense systems put on combat alert in the region, according to Syrian political adviser Suleiman al Suleiman.

According to the adviser, the operation was planned to be carried on July 2-4.

“The operation was cancelled after reports emerged that Russia’s S-400 missile defense systems and a missile attack warning system had been activated in Syria,” al-Suleiman said in an interview with Sputnik Arabic.

Moscow deployed the S-400 system to Syria after in November 2015 a Turkish jet downed a Russian Su-24 bomber on the Syrian-Turkish border.

In a recent interview with Sputnik Persian, Emad Abshenass, an Iranian political analyst and editor-in-chief of Iran Press newspaper, said that a US-Israeli “plan to divide Syria” was foiled due to Iran’s role in the conflict.

“Iran’s active engagement in Syria and Iraq has significantly helped the Syrian Army in the fight against Daesh. In fact, Iran’s involvement helped disturb the plan of the United States and Israel to divide Syria and Iraq. This is why Israel is looking for an excuse to justify its strikes on Syria’s territory,” Abshenass said.

In June, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) launched several attacks on the positions of the Syrian Army and its allied forces.

Commenting on the incidents, Syrian military and strategic expert Maj. Gen. Yahia Suleiman suggested that Israel’s “aggression” was “part of a plan” on destabilizing Syria and weakening Damascus’ allies.

Furthermore, al-Suleiman shared his thoughts on how the situation in Syria has changed after talks between US President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin during the G20 summit in Hamburg.

“Before the summit the international community was against Damascus and the Syrian Army. Everyone was talking about a ‘red line’ that must not be crossed. At the same time terrorists continued to receive funds from abroad. But after de-escalation zones were agreed at the summit Washington’s plans for Syria became impossible,” the adviser said.

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According to al Suleiman, currently Russian and American specialists are working to maintain the implementation of the newly-brokered ceasefire regime.

Following the Putin-Trump talks in Hamburg, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the US, Russia and Jordan reached an agreement on a ceasefire in southwestern Syria.

“They agreed a memorandum on the establishment of a de-escalation zone in southwestern Syria: in Daraa, Quneitra and Suwayda provinces, which will have a ceasefire in force from midday, Damascus time, on July 9,” Lavrov told journalists.