'Syria increasing preparedness following IDF maneuvers'
Syrian sources state concern over recent IDF maneuvers. State military exercises increasing tensions in region
According to one source, Syria expressed concern over the “the unusual military maneuvers" conducted by the IDF in the Golan Heights.
The Qatar-based Al-Watan newspaper, which reported this, also quoted Syrian Defense Minister Hassan Tourkmani, who called on the Syrian military to increase preparedness in order to resist anti-Syrian aggression.
According to the report, a Syrian source added that Israel’s military activity is increasing tensions in the region. He mentioned Chief of Staff Dan Halutz’s Monday to a Golan Heights division exercise as contributing to the heightened tensions.
The source warned that "pursuant to Israel's military defeat in southern Lebanon, the State became more extreme, which is clearly manifested now in Prime Minister Olmert's attempts to add an extreme Zionist party to the coalition, in particular one such as 'Israel Our Home' that has extreme political and religious stances."
The source also addressed Olmert's statement on Monday that the IDF is undergoing military exercises in order to prepare for the Iranian threat.
"Olmert's words prove clearly that there are Israeli preparations to attack Iran, something that would bring about an explosion in the region," he said.
Syrian analysts estimated that Israel is incapable of fighting on three fronts simultaneously. Retired general and strategic affairs expert Ibrahim Qahiya said Israel does not possess the military capabilities necessary to deal with Syria, Iran and southern Lebanon at the same time.
IDF intelligence officials, for their part, contend that Syria is not preparing for a war with Israel. “We see an improvement in the Syrian army’s level of preparedness, but we do not identify any intentions on Syria’s part to attack Israel,” one official said.
“Assad is mainly interested in the survival of his regime. Currently he is identifying threats to his regime, and he is using all means necessary to alleviate his isolation, and talking of peace is one way of doing it.”
