New Reports of ‘Saudi and Israeli Airstrikes’ on Syria-Iraq Border Only Heighten Concerns of Wider War

The United States is discussing with Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies about possible responses to Saudi Aramco oil facility attack. What is not being aired are any discussions between Washington and Israel on the matter. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has already described the event as “an act of war” against the Saudi monarchy, even though Yemeni resistance forces had already claimed responsibility for the attack.

But there are new concerns about the size and scope of any planned retaliation by the US-Saudi axis which are increasingly worrying. This morning, additional reports have surfaced suggesting that Israel and Saudi Arabia may have launched retaliatory airstrikes against “pro-Iranian militias” stationed along the border between Syria and Iraq. As these are early reports, it is difficult to determine who carried out the strikes, and why. However, the Jerusalem Post headline clearly infers that these strikes were carried out by Saudi and Israeli military:

“Saudis, Israel attack pro-Iran militias on Syria-Iraq border,” and adding that,“Saudi fighter jets have been spotted along with other fighter jets that have attacked facilities and positions belonging to Iranian militias.”

When piecing their report together, Jerusalem Post have compiled citing from various sources, including pieces of information from the Independent Arabia, Lebanese outlet Al Mayadeen and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

According to their article, “unidentified aircraft” have been striking targets from this past Monday (killing 10), Tuesday (killing 16) and most recently on Wednesday (killing 5), hitting what are being labeling as “Iranian-backed” Hash’d Shaabi (People’s Mobilization Units/PMUs) positions near the Iraqi-Syria border.

“On Wednesday, five people were killed and another nine were wounded in an airstrike carried out by unidentified aircraft that targeted positions of the Iranian-backed Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces militia in Albukamal, according to Sky News Arabia.”

The Times of Israel reiterated this reporting stating:

“It was the second strike on positions controlled by Shiite militias in the Boukamal region of Syria in as many days, and the third in a month. Some Syrian and Iraqi outlets said Israel was suspected of being behind the strikes. There were no such public allegations by Syrian or Iraqi officials.”

Over the last few weeks, Israel has attacked no less than 4 of its neighbours, including unprovoked military strikes against Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Gaza. However, the fresh targeting of Hashed/PMU “Iranian-backed militias” positions in Al Bukamal, Syria near the Iraqi border, could now be justified by US, Israel and Saudi Axis powers as a ‘legitimate response’ to the attack on Saudi oil this past weekend. The Al Bukamal talking point is currently making its way around the information sphere.

The distance between Al Bukamal in Syria and al Buqayq in Saudi Arabia is just under 1300km. Reports have just come in of Saudi aircraft attacking “Iranian targets” near Al Bukamal. pic.twitter.com/Qp402A15MT

— Charles Wood (@Mare_Indicum) September 19, 2019

This, to take out supposed “Iranian” Hashed/PMU targets in Iraq, again, justifying what would normally be illegal acts of aggression against Saudi and Israel’s neighbors by claiming these were in retaliation to a ‘Iranian regime and IRGC terrorist attack’ as the Saudi Arabia official stated at their recent press conference,

This version of events which blames Iran for the Saudi Oil Attack narrative championed by Mike Pompeo and the Saudi government is being buttressed by Washington’s various pro-war propaganda arms including CNN, as ‘journalists’ Nick Robertson and Nick Paton Walsh did their part in helping to launder Riyadh’s shaky pretext as a “high probability” that the attack was launched from an Iranian base located in Iran.

Although no actual evidence has been produced by Saudi or US officials to support their theory, it seems the media are still nudging the idea of war forward – until it reaches full public saturation and becomes consensus reality in the West. But with so many ‘local’ allies to work on its behalf, Washington does not really need to carry out any military attacks itself, a position hinted at in President Trump’s recent remarks against attacking Iran.

Still, any escalation in an already tense region could very easily careen out of control, which is why any reports of Saudi and Israeli air strikes against Iraqi or Syrian targets should be a cause for great concern.

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