The Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed information about attacks on militant positions in the Syrian province of Idlib. The official representative of the department, Major General Igor Konashenkov, clarified that two Su-34 fighter-bombers took part in the operation.
The targets of the airstrikes were the warehouses of the terrorist group Jabhat al-Nusra (the organization is recognized as terrorist and is banned on the territory of the Russian Federation). In these warehouses, according to the Ministry of Defense, drones and explosives were collected and stored. According to Konashenkov, another warehouse was destroyed, where portable anti-aircraft missile systems terrorists.
The Russian Defense Ministry especially emphasized that all airborne forces strikes were carried out exclusively against confirmed targets of terrorist groups far from villages and cities.
Drones destroyed by Russian air strikes were used for numerous attacks on the Russian Khmeimim airbase and populated areas in the provinces of Aleppo and Hama.
One of these attacks, according to Konashenkov, occurred on the night from Tuesday to Wednesday. However, air defense systems installed at the Khmeimim airbase prevented the attack by destroying two attack drones.
“On September 4, in the dark, the standard anti-aircraft weapons of the Khmeimim airbase destroyed two attack unmanned aerial vehicles at a distance from the airfield. aircraft terrorists,” the major general told reporters, adding that last month 47 drones were destroyed.
The first reports that the Russian Aerospace Forces began bombing in the province of Idlib appeared on Tuesday. The Middle Eastern newspaper Al-Masdar News and the Turkish news agency Anadolu, the Turkish newspaper Hurriyet and the human rights organization Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, based in London, reported this, citing their sources in the ranks of the Syrian opposition.
It was reported that the areas of Jisir al-Sugur, Bisenkul, Ghani, Inneb, Syrmaniya in the west of Idlib, as well as the Zeyzun area in the north of Hama, were bombed.
The Syrian opposition called the actions of the Russian Aerospace Forces “the largest attack of the year,” which resulted in 20 to 50 strikes. In addition, it was alleged that between three and ten Russian aircraft were involved in the operation.
Idlib is the last province remaining in the hands of Assad's opponents, which include both the armed opposition and terrorist groups. Damascus considers its priority to liberate this territory - either militarily or through reconciliation. According to the head of the Syrian Foreign Ministry, the international community must recognize that the province of Idlib is Syrian territory.
Russia supports Damascus' aspirations to liberate the province from terrorist forces. On August 29, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called the hotbed of terrorists in Syrian Idlib an “abscess” that must be eliminated. A few hours before reports of the start of airstrikes were received, Russian Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov said that drones sent by terrorists from Idlib posed a threat to Russian temporary bases in Syria.
Strong statements from Moscow and Damascus prompted US President Donald Trump to warn Russia, Iran and Syria against a “reckless” attack on Idlib.
“The Russians and Iranians will be making a grave humanitarian mistake if they participate in this potential human tragedy,” the American leader tweeted.
At the same time, Trump claimed that “hundreds of thousands of people” could allegedly die as a result of such actions.
Peskov responded by noting the need to pay attention to the dangerous, negative potential for the entire situation in Syria. He also clarified that the Syrian armed forces are preparing to solve this problem. “Simply issuing some warnings, not paying attention to the very dangerous, negative potential for the entire situation in Syria, is probably not a complete, not a comprehensive approach,” Peskov added.
SUKHUM, Oct 1 —Sputnik. Iranian military attacked missile strike on the organizers of the terrorist attack in Ahwaz and their facilities on the eastern bank of the Euphrates in Syria, RIA Novosti reports with reference to the Sepah News portal associated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
According to the portal, the missile strike was carried out by the aerospace division of the IRGC, as a result of which the a large number of terrorists, there are also victims.
Terrorist attack in Ahvaz
At the end of September, shooting began during a military parade in the Iranian city of Ahwaz. According to the latest data, 28 people were killed and more than 60 were injured. According to IRNA, the Patriotic Arab Democratic Movement in Ahwaz, a group with ties to Saudi Arabia, claimed responsibility.
Two days later, Iran detained 22 people suspected of involvement in the attack, and also identified a terrorist group of five people linked to the attack.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif argued that responsibility lies with “regional sponsors of terrorism and their American instructors.” The Iranian armed forces also believe that the militants are linked to the United States and Israel. IN Saudi Arabia deny any involvement in the terrorist attack.
The United States and a number of Western and Middle Eastern countries traditionally accuse Iran of supporting terrorism in the region. Iran denies such accusations, pointing out that its opponents themselves support a number of Sunni terrorist groups.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched a ballistic missile attack on terrorist targets on the eastern bank of the Euphrates in Syria. This was reported by the Tehran news agency Fars.
Terrorists of the "Islamic State" (organization banned in Russia) (IS, organization banned in Russia) were attacked on the night of October 1, at approximately 02:00 local time. According to the IRGC report, as a result of the missile strike, many terrorists were killed and there were also wounded.
This “retaliation strike,” as the Iranian military calls it, is a response to the terrorist attack in the Iranian city of Ahwaz on September 22. Four gunmen opened fire on a military parade taking place, killing at least 28 people and wounding about 70.
The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack. However, Iranian President Hassan said that “US allies in the Persian Gulf” were responsible for the Ahwaz attack, primarily Saudi Arabia, which supports Sunni radical oppositionists throughout the Middle East.
Two days after the terrorist attack in Ahwaz, Tehran vowed to take revenge on the United States and Israel, the countries allegedly behind the attack.
The Russian Foreign Minister stressed in May 2018 that all disagreements between Iran, Israel and the United States must be resolved through dialogue. In addition, the head noted, one must try to avoid “mutually provoking actions” and incidents.
Airplanes of the Russian Aerospace Forces begin their acceleration on the runway of the Syrian Khmeimim airport, now two Su-25 pairs are coming and right now they are carrying high-explosive fragmentation bombs towards ISIS positions.
Su-24, Su-25, Su-30SM and the flagship of military aviation - the multifunctional Su-34. The entire line of Russian fighter-bombers brings ironclad arguments to ISIS militants. Usually, four arguments per winged machine. Our pilots explain for the fourth day in a row that terrorism and the ideas of a global caliphate are bad, without making any allowance for weather, time or fatigue. More than fifty strategic targets of the militants have already been defeated. But this is just a prelude. The Main Operations Directorate of the General Staff announced plans to increase the intensity of airstrikes. And in the intercepted radio broadcast, the Islamists are already on the verge of panic, while some are asking for help, others are running away. At least from those fortified areas that our drones can see.
"Near settlement Raqqa destroyed the protected command post of one of the gangs, as well as an underground bunker with a warehouse of explosives and ammunition. In the province of Idlib in the Jisr-Esh-Shugur region, storage points were destroyed by Su-24M front-line bombers military equipment, used by militants to prepare terrorist attacks.
This is a tactic - to strike not at the concentration of terrorist manpower, but at their infrastructure. Firstly, it’s much more effective. Secondly, there are guaranteed to be no accidental civilian casualties. The main targets are factories for the production of explosives, workshops for re-equipping civilian equipment into military equipment, bunkers with ammunition. The drone's camera records a direct hit on one of these - judging by the head of the explosion, the ammunition detonated, the task was completed. The crew is preparing for a combat flight. All systems work without failures, everything has been rechecked several dozen times. But the pilots, together with the technician, are still required to walk around the machine - according to the instructions. According to signs, go around clockwise. Pilots are very superstitious people: you will never see a plane number 13, pilots will never smoke in front of their car. The reverent attitude is completely justified - now they will fly deep behind enemy lines, where they will eject due to technical problems- means to die. The terrorists have already announced rewards for the heads of our pilots. The militants survived years of NATO bombing without any problems, and, apparently, they simply did not know that bombs could fall on their targets.
Igor Konoshenkov, head of the press service and information department of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, major general:“I want to emphasize that there were no strikes on civilian infrastructure, especially on buildings where civilians could or were located. To prevent harm to civilians, targets for Russian air strikes are designated only after thorough reconnaissance.”
Of course, after the very first airstrikes, hotheads immediately appeared in the West who accused our aviation of destroying peaceful targets. The first of the loudest is Washington. An ironclad counterargument to all those who accuse our aviation of destroying civilian targets in Syria. This is the argument under the belly of the Su-34 KAB-250 - Adjustable aerial bomb. The plane carries it to the target, but after separation it is guided to the target by the satellite. High-precision weapons with an error of 2 meters.
This is how Syrians watch TV now. And this is not a football broadcast, but just a final news release. The country, living in a state of war for four years, believed that this could someday end. Mahmoud's relatives live in the now troubled city of Qamishli in northeastern Syria. In this area, ISIS is sorting out relations with jihadists from Jabhat al-Nusra. The city is now on the verge of a humanitarian catastrophe; due to infighting between militant groups, civilians are disenfranchised and powerless.
Mahmud, taxi driver:“Previously, all the Syrian provinces lived together, it was one big happy family. But then our country was simply torn apart by both terrorists and rebels - what do they want? The Americans call the rebels a free Syrian army - then let them take them to America.”
The Free Syrian Army - the so-called moderate opposition - is several hundred scattered units led by field commanders. They also fight with Assad’s government army, and sometimes with ISIS terrorists, although many openly sympathize with the ideas of the caliphate. In fact, there are three forces at war with each other in the country, two of which are illegal. And in fact, Russia is the first to defend not only the legitimate government of Syria, but also ordinary people who are endlessly tired of the war against everyone.
Mahmud, taxi driver:“We welcome our friends. We welcome those friends who came to help us. We are grateful to you that you respect the right of our people to the unity of our country. If someone here says that they are Russian, we welcome everyone very warmly.”
In Latakia it is difficult to find a Syrian who would not break out into a smile after the word “Rusia”. In regions controlled by the government army, the Russian tricolor is already being sold along with Syrian flags. Mahmud believes this is a good sign. And soon peace will come to his relatives from Al-Qamishli. Near Latakia, a Russian air group base was built in as soon as possible and literally - in an open field. Before our military arrived there was no asphalt here. Now there is everything you need for responsible, round-the-clock work - warehouses for fuel and lubricants, residential modules, field kitchens, canteens, laundries and even a bathhouse. Behind every takeoff of our bomber is the work of several hundred people - from technicians to cooks. The diet is adjusted to the climatic norms of Syria, there is literally home-style cuisine on the table, products are from Russia. Here, for the first time, the military is using tropical uniforms on such a large scale - they say, for example, that these thick socks actually save you from the aggressive midday heat. But the record heat of this Syrian autumn is trivial. In just 4 days, the Russian air group changed the geopolitical climate throughout the Middle East.
Iran fired rockets at the headquarters of the terrorists who staged a bloody terrorist attack at a parade in the Iranian city of Ahwaz. But the expected problem is that the territory of Syria that was struck is controlled by the United States
Iran struck at terrorists. The terrorists were located in Syria under US control.
Simply by mathematical essence, Iran struck the United States. Firstly, physical - after all, American instructors associate so closely with terrorists that they could have been on the territory of their headquarters, which was destroyed by the Iranians. Secondly, moral - because if these terrorists were under the auspices of the United States, who will continue to count on American protection? If these were visiting bandits, “free” - how to prove that the United States rightfully occupies part of Syrian territory, fighting international terrorism with all its might?
What actually happened
Let us recall that on September 22, four armed men opened fire from machine guns at spectators and participants in a military parade held in memory of the Iran-Iraq war of 1980-1988. At least 29 people were killed and another 53 were injured as a result of the attack. The attackers were destroyed, but traces of them led to Syrian territory. Namely, to the eastern outskirts of the country on the other side of the Euphrates, which the Americans retain under the guise of fighting ISIS, which is banned in Russia.
By the way, according to one of the versions voiced, it was the “Islamic state” that took responsibility for the attack. However, the Iranian agency IRNA reported that a certain group called the Patriotic Arab Democratic Movement in Ahwaz claimed responsibility for the crime. The group, frankly speaking, is hitherto little-known, but it is clear that it is based on the Sunni Arab population of Iran. Therefore, when statements were made from Tehran that the terrorists were connected with the authorities of Saudi Arabia, no one was surprised.
Firstly, the Persians and the Saudis are having a real cold war. And secondly, the Saudi authorities really stubbornly support rebel and terrorist organizations of Sunni Arabs in Shiite Iran and semi-Shiite Syria. Including ISIS. So there must be at least some truth to Iran's accusations. The Persians also added the United Arab Emirates and the United States of America to these accusations. Which is also not without a certain logic, although US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo immediately called these accusations a “huge mistake.”
Further Air Force The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) dispatched at least 6 targets in Syria ballistic missiles"Zulfiqar" and "Ghiam" of the "ground-to-ground" class. Then, for control and, apparently, finishing, the Iranians also sent several attack drones there.
The irony of the situation is that they copied their model from an American drone, which they were able to land on the ground a couple of years ago.
Separately, the attention of observers was attracted by the fact that the targets were hit at a distance of 570 km from the launch point. Thus, the Persians unobtrusively showed that their missile technology was clearly capable of longer distances. For example, before Israel...
Who did the Persians hit?
The Iranians themselves optimistically claim that during the operation, code-named “Muharram Strike,” they were able to kill and wound several dozen terrorists and destroy their command infrastructure. They probably destroyed the headquarters and damaged the base.
But it seems that the Persians defeated someone even more significant. First of all, this is, of course, the United States of America. Firstly, the territory east of the Euphrates is controlled by them through local groups of Kurds and hidden ISIS terrorists, whom the Americans transplanted to local authorities in the Arab villages of the region. The fact that Iranian missiles can easily fly through US-controlled territory in itself deals a sensitive blow to America's military reputation. Moreover, in their funny way of simultaneously beating and whining, the Americans themselves drew attention to this, calling the missile strike over their heads “reckless, unsafe and aggravating the situation.” And then official representative US Department of Defense Sean Robertson even complained:
Such strikes could potentially jeopardize forces actively fighting IS in Syria. The launch of any missiles in the absence of coordination in the airspace poses a threat to civil and military aviation.
That is, he admitted in other words, the United States did not see the missiles flying over them, Iran contemptuously did not coordinate their launch with them, and, therefore, there is no guarantee that under certain circumstances, American bases in Syria may not fall under attack. And this immediately puts a big question mark over the US ambitions to “punish” Iran for anything.
Now we just have to wait a little. Either the United States will now begin to plan an operation to punish Tehran for such impudence, or, fearing the unpredictable consequences of such an operation, it will limit itself to whining and assurances that it was not they who incited the terrorists in Ahwaz. In this case, at the next stage of development of the situation, we should expect that the United States in the Middle East will be wiped out by its own wards. Not to mention serious players.
Israel is the second morally damaged. No, not because the Persians also accused him of promoting terrorism. There is nothing new or surprising in this: Iran is also at war with Israel, and a despicable one. Only the one that has so far occurred on third-party territory - in Syria and partly in Lebanon.
Now Iran has proven that it not only has missiles - this has long been known, that it not only knows how to use them - also no secret, but that it uses it in such a way that even the Americans cannot intercept them. And it turns out that Israel in vain devoted so much effort to the bombing of Iranian targets in Syria - now, moreover, prohibited by Moscow after the stupidest action of setting up a Russian plane. Now it turns out that Iran can get Israel from its territory with not outdated missiles based on antediluvian SCADs, which the Jews are good at shooting down. Now, if Tehran wishes, Tel Aviv can be hit by devices that, it is not a fact, can be shot down by Israeli air defense.
Two steps to go?
While Iran's position is just, observers are now wondering about the further reaction of Israel and its overseas dominion, the United States. It is clear that Iran’s actions will not remain so simple and without consequences. On the other hand, the Israeli-American alliance does not have much room for reasonable action. Almost everything has already been selected and used. This means that logic dictates that the only thing left to do is to further escalate the confrontation. But here security issues are already on the agenda. Moreover, both for the entire Middle East region, and for Israel and American bases here in particular.
