Syrian and Iranian media channels reported a UAV attack on the Syria-Iraq border on late Tuesday night. The target: a convoy of trucks carrying Iranian fuel from Iraq through Syria, destined for Lebanon. They claimed there were no casualties. A senior official in the US Central Command was quick to deny any US involvement, and the Lebanese press (affiliated with Hezbollah) has blamed Israel.
Some interesting information discrepancies:
1. Apparently, some of the trucks were indeed carrying fuel, but according to other reports, some were loaded with ammunition and were on their way to Hezbollah and the Shia militias in Syria. In that case, fuel trucks are not bad camouflage.
2. The trucks were escorted and secured by Hezbollah forces, which strengthens the assessment they were carrying ammunition. Contrary to the Lebanese-Hezbollah report about the lack of casualties, local sources claim the explosion led to about 14-20 deaths, among them Shia militia activists.
3. Iran continues to deliver weapons to Syria and Lebanon by air, sea, and land. The series of attacks on the Damascus and Aleppo airports in recent months makes it difficult for Tehran to transfer ammunition by air at the rate and frequency it desires, and therefore it uses a variety of channels for transfer, including the ground route. The attack on the truck convoy on the Syria-Iraq border sends the message to Iran that neither are the ground routes secure.
4. The quick denial by the Americans indicates the real fear of an Iranian reaction against them, particularly in view of the deterrence equation that has taken shape in the region – attacks attributed to Israel against Iranian targets are met with attacks on American bases in Syria and Iraq.
5. Finally, while the topic received extensive coverage in the traditional and social media, a significant reference to the series of bombings by the Assad regime and its Russian partners on refugee camps in Idlib since the beginning of the week (Nov 6) is absent. The attack against the "terrorists" led to nine deaths and about 80 wounded, most of them children. Damage was caused to the refugee camps, which are already in poor condition, and apparently, some people were forced to leave the camps and be displaced for the umpteenth time to another affected area in Syria.
Syrian and Iranian media channels reported a UAV attack on the Syria-Iraq border on late Tuesday night. The target: a convoy of trucks carrying Iranian fuel from Iraq through Syria, destined for Lebanon. They claimed there were no casualties. A senior official in the US Central Command was quick to deny any US involvement, and the Lebanese press (affiliated with Hezbollah) has blamed Israel.
Some interesting information discrepancies:
1. Apparently, some of the trucks were indeed carrying fuel, but according to other reports, some were loaded with ammunition and were on their way to Hezbollah and the Shia militias in Syria. In that case, fuel trucks are not bad camouflage.
2. The trucks were escorted and secured by Hezbollah forces, which strengthens the assessment they were carrying ammunition. Contrary to the Lebanese-Hezbollah report about the lack of casualties, local sources claim the explosion led to about 14-20 deaths, among them Shia militia activists.
3. Iran continues to deliver weapons to Syria and Lebanon by air, sea, and land. The series of attacks on the Damascus and Aleppo airports in recent months makes it difficult for Tehran to transfer ammunition by air at the rate and frequency it desires, and therefore it uses a variety of channels for transfer, including the ground route. The attack on the truck convoy on the Syria-Iraq border sends the message to Iran that neither are the ground routes secure.
4. The quick denial by the Americans indicates the real fear of an Iranian reaction against them, particularly in view of the deterrence equation that has taken shape in the region – attacks attributed to Israel against Iranian targets are met with attacks on American bases in Syria and Iraq.
5. Finally, while the topic received extensive coverage in the traditional and social media, a significant reference to the series of bombings by the Assad regime and its Russian partners on refugee camps in Idlib since the beginning of the week (Nov 6) is absent. The attack against the "terrorists" led to nine deaths and about 80 wounded, most of them children. Damage was caused to the refugee camps, which are already in poor condition, and apparently, some people were forced to leave the camps and be displaced for the umpteenth time to another affected area in Syria.