Syrian TV states that Israel is suspected of having attacked a weapons depot.
The depot with Iranian rockets is adjacent to a Russian-controlled air base in Syria.
If the information is correct, it can be seen as an Israeli warning to Vladimir Putin, writes Johan Fredriksson, foreign reporter at TV4 Nyheterna.
Uncertainty surrounds this incident, but Syrian sources state that Israel may have tried to knock out a recently arrived Iranian arms shipment and that is a likely scenario.
For Israel, it is a delicate balance on a knife’s edge.
So far, during nine years of Russian military presence in Syria, Israel has never attacked Russian targets there.
But if Iran now uses the Russian airbase Hmeimim to import rockets to Hezbollah, that situation may change.
Can be seen as a warning to Putin
Today’s alleged attack can then be seen as a warning to Putin from Israel: “we tolerate your presence in Syria to fight and control Islamist groups such as IS, but we will not accept that your cooperation with Iran expands with arms deliveries via your air bases”.
Israel regularly attacks Iranian arms shipments and ammunition depots in Syria, but the Israeli authorities almost never comment on these attacks.
On the other hand, Israel has clearly declared that it will use all available means to stop the supply of weapons to Hezbollah and Hamas regardless of where this occurs.
Many forces wish to intervene in the conflict in the Middle East, which is already threatening world peace. Iran (and Syria / Hezbollah) would like to see Russia drawn into the war. Of course, Putin prefers that the Moscow regime’s more director-like role in the background not turn into a leading role at the front of the stage.
But the situation is dangerous.
The mullahs in Tehran
The Ukrainian war’s erosion of Russia’s weapons depots has made Putin dependent on supplies from Iran. The mullahs in Tehran can now exploit this weakness and demand greater cooperation from the Russian forces in Syria.
The alleged attack in Latakia, Syria will never be acknowledged by Israel – entirely in accordance with their policy – and Russia will not want it to be noticed either.
Both the most affected parties thus wish to hush up the incident.
Neither Putin nor Netanyahu has any desire to be dragged into an armed conflict, a war that would risk having horrible consequences (in which the USA would eventually also get involved).