BICOM

The Guardian this morning reports that Israeli officials will ask US President Barack Obama during his visit to the region this week, to participate in or support a military strike against Syrian forces if there is evidence that they are transferring weapons to Hezbollah in neighbouring Lebanon.

Israeli leaders have expressed repeated concerns that Syria’s cache of chemical weapons, thought to be the world’s third largest stockpile, could fall into the hands of Hezbollah amidst the violence of the Syrian civil war. Leaders from both countries have pledged to prevent such a scenario-taking place. However, this morning’s report claims that Israel will this week seek American military participation or at least backing for Israeli action against the transfer of conventional weaponry too, such as anti-aircraft and anti-ship missiles. The Guardian quotes an unnamed senior Israeli official who says “These missiles are not just a problem for Israel” asking rhetorically “Maybe it would be better if Israel doesn’t do it, but who is going to deal with it?” Israel is thought to have carried out an airstrike in January against a convoy of Syrian trucks carrying sophisticated Russian-made anti-aircraft weaponry and equipment, heading for Hezbollah.

In Syria itself, opposition forces reportedly captured a military intelligence base yesterday just eight kilometres from the border with Israel. Reuters quotes a member of the Yarmouk Martyrs Brigade who said that after a five-day siege “We have completely taken over this… command centre for the shabbiha (pro-Assad militia).” This latest development comes little over a week after Syrian rebels forcibly detained United Nations peacekeepers on the Golan Heights. Stray missiles from the fighting in Syria have also landed in Israeli territory over the past few weeks.