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Refer to the talk page. ''Clash'' means a two-sided confrontation while Iran's role is not clear at all
m Fitzcarmalan moved page May 2018 Israel–Iran clashes to May 2018 Israel–Iran incidents: Being bold and moving to more neutral title, per talk page concerns. There is no formal RM discussion, so it doesn't seem like a controversial move to me.
(No difference)

Revision as of 09:27, 11 May 2018

May 2018 Israel–Iran clashes
Part of Syrian Civil War, Iran–Israel proxy conflict, Israeli–Syrian ceasefire line incidents during the Syrian Civil War
Date10 May 2018
Location
Israel, Syria
Belligerents
 Iran (Allegedly)
 Syria		  Israel
Units involved

IRGC (allegedly)


 Syrian Arab Army		 Israel Defence Forces
Strength
28 aircraft
Casualties and losses
23 killed (18 non-Syrian) (SOHR claim)[1]
3 killed, 2 wounded[1] (Syrian claim)
1 Pantsir-S1 system[2]		 none

May 2018 Israel–Iran clashes was a short confrontation between Israel and Iranian forces in Syria.[3] Israel has been occasionally conducting air strikes against the Syrian government bases since early 2013. The bombardments were launched as a response to Iranian forces, stationed in Syria, who allegedly fired rockets towards Golan Heights. It also came just a day after the US announced it was withdrawing from the Iranian nuclear deal.[4] According to SANA the attacks constitute a Israeli missile aggression on Syrian territories.[5] The Israeli military said it has struck Iranian military targets[6] including military bases as well as an arms depot and a military radar installation. [7]

Background

See also: Israeli–Syrian ceasefire line incidents during the Syrian Civil War and February 2018 Israel–Syria incident

On 10 February 2018, an Israeli F-16I was shot down by the Syrian air defenses after conducting an air raid on Iran-backed positions inside Syrian territory. The aircraft was part of a larger Israeli aerial dispatch which Israel said was sent in response to detection of an Iranian drone entering Israeli airspace.[8][9][10][11] Two hours after the downing of the jet, Israel began attacking additional targets inside Syria, including air defense sites.[11]

On 9 April, allegedly Israeli aircraft targeted the T-4 air base in the Syrian province of Homs, killing up to 14 fighters, including seven Iranians, two days after an alleged chemical attack carried out by the Syrian regime.[12]

On 30 April 2018, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Iran to pursue a program of nuclear weapons development.[13][14]

On 8 May 2018, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. would withdraw from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, a move seen by many as a further escalation of tensions in the region.[15] The same day Israeli air strikes targeted Syrian army positions in the southern Damascus area of Al-Kiswah, killing 15 people, including 8 Iranians.[16][17][12] According to reports, the targets were Iranian rocket launchers aimed at Israeli territory.

Events

On 10 May, Iranian forces on the Syrian-held side of the Golan Heights were accused by Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to have fired around 20 Fajr-5 rockets towards Israeli army positions, though there were no damage or injuries.[18] Nevertheless, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) claimed responsibility for the attack on the Israeli positions.[19] Fares Shehabi, a member of the Syrian parliament for Aleppo, also stated that it was the Syrians and not the Iranians that struck Israeli targets in retaliation to initial Israeli bombardment of Syria. Abolfazl Hassanbeigi, Vice Chairman of Iran's Supreme National Security Council denied Iran was behind the rocket attack on Israel, stating that "Teheran has nothing to do with the missiles launched at Israel from Syria overnight Wednesday" [20]

In response, Israel launched the "most extensive strike in Syria in decades", attacking dozens of alleged Iranian targets.[1] According to Russia's Defense Ministry, this involved 28 warplanes and the firing of 70 missiles.[1]

The Syrian army command stated that most of the missiles launched by Israel had been intercepted.[21]

Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman said, “I hope we finished this chapter, and everyone got the message".[22]

Reactions

States
  •  United States - White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said "Israel absolutely has a sovereign right to defend itself. The Iranian regime's deployment into Syria of offensive rocket and missile systems aimed at Israel is an unacceptable and highly dangerous development for the entire Middle East. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) bears full responsibility for the consequences of its reckless actions." The White House also demanded that the IRGC and Hezbollah "refrain from any further provocations," and called on "all nations to make clear that Iran's actions pose a severe threat to international peace and stability."[23]
  •  France - The French Foreign Ministry said its country has an "unwavering commitment to Israel's security" and that it "condemns any attempt to undermine it." It called on both Israel and Iran to exercise restraint, while demanding that "Iran refrain from any military provocation" and "warned it against any temptation toward regional hegemony."[23]
  •  United Kingdom - British Prime Minister Theresa May's spokesman told reporters in London, "We condemn Iran's attack on Israel. Israel has every right to defend itself. We call on Iran to refrain from any further attacks and for calm on all sides. We call on Russia to use its influence in Syria to prevent further Iranian attacks."[23]
  •  Germany - The German Foreign Ministry said: "We are deeply concerned by reports about last night's Iranian rocket attacks on Israeli army outposts. These attacks are a severe provocation that we most strongly condemn. We have always emphasized that Israel has the right to defend itself. At the same time, it is key that the situation does not escalate any further. This particularly means we must do everything we can to finally arrive to a sustainable political solution to the conflict in Syria — it is needed to end the suffering of the Syrian population and to not further threaten stability in the region."[23]
  •  Bahrain - The Bahraini foreign minister issued a statement supporting Israel's right to self defense from Iranian aggression.[24]
Others
  • Hamas - Hamas condemned "the continuation of the occupation army targeting the Palestinian people and the countries of the region and its escalation on Syrian territory." Hamas said in a press statement that targeting was proof that the occupation was "the main enemy of the nation and the greatest threat to it and the source of terrorism in the region." The movement stressed that it is "the right of the Arab and Islamic countries to defend their territories and respond strongly to any aggression. This requires harnessing all the nation's energies and capabilities to deter the enemy and break its prestige and thwart its plans aimed at the Palestinian cause and the region and the nation's capabilities."[25]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d Amos Harel, Yaniv Kubovich, Jack Khoury, Amir Tibon, Noa Shpigel (10 May 2018). "Israel Launches Most Extensive Strike in Syria in Decades After Iranian Rocket Barrage". Haaertz. Retrieved 10 May 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ "The IDF struck an SA22 aerial interception system as part of a wide-scale attack against Iranian military sites in Syria". 10 May 2018.
  3. ^ Kershner (10 May 2018). "Israeli Jets Hit Dozens of Iranian Targets in Syria". New York Times.
  4. ^ Dov Lieber, Dion Nissenbaum (10 May 2018). "Israel Strikes Iranian Targets in Syria as Regional Tensions Mount". Wall Street Journal.
  5. ^ "Syrian Arab News Agency – S A N A". sana.sy.
  6. ^ "Israel says it hit Iranian military targets in Syria". www.aljazeera.com.
  7. ^ "War Looms Large Over West Asia As Israel Hits Targets In Syria After Alleged Iranian Attacks". India Times. 10 May 2018. Retrieved 10 May 2018.
  8. ^ "Israeli jet shot down after bombing Iranian site in Syria". Reuters. 11 February 2018. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
  9. ^ "Israel strikes Iranian targets in Syria, IAF F-16 shot down". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
  10. ^ "Israeli jet downed by Syrian fire – army". BBC News. 10 February 2018. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
  11. ^ a b Kubovich, Yaniv; Shpigel, Noa; Khoury, Jack (10 February 2018). "Israel Downs Iranian Drone, Strikes Syria; Israeli F-16 Shot Down, Pilots Safe". Haaretz. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
  12. ^ a b "Eight Iranians among 15 killed in suspected Israeli strike in Syria".
  13. ^ "Israel says Iran hid nuclear arms programme". BBC News. 30 April 2018. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
  14. ^ DiChristopher, Tom (30 April 2018). "Netanyahu: Iran had secret 'Project Amad' to design, produce and test warheads". CNBC. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
  15. ^ Morris, Loveday; Eglash, Ruth; Loveluck, Louisa (10 May 2018). "Israel launches massive military strike against Iranian targets in Syria". The Washington Post. Retrieved 10 May 2018.
  16. ^ "Aftermath of Israel strikes targeting Syria army position near Kisweh".
  17. ^ "Syrian Observatory: Israeli raid in Syria killed Iranians".
  18. ^ "PROJECTILES FIRED TOWARDS ISRAELI FORWARD DEFENSIVE LINE IN THE GOLAN". Jerusalem Post. 10 May 2018. Retrieved 10 May 2018.
    Chamberlain, Samuel (9 May 2018). "Iran forces launch missiles at Israel from Syria, IDF says". Fox News. Associated Press. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  19. ^ "Breaking - Syrian Army strikes Israeli targets in the Golan Heights in retaliation to Israeli bombardment - Muraselon". 9 May 2018.
  20. ^ {cite news |last=Salami |first=Daniel |date=10 May 2018 |title= Iranian official: 'We have nothing to do with missiles launched at Israel' |url=https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5256495,00.html |work=YNET News |location= |access-date=10 May 2018 |agency=YNET News }}
  21. ^ "Syrian army says destroyed most of Israeli rockets". 10 May 2018. Retrieved 10 May 2018.
  22. ^ "Israel and Iran are attacking each other — and it could lead to outright war".
  23. ^ a b c d "U.K., GERMANY, FRANCE BACK ISRAEL'S STRIKES AGAINST IRAN IN SYRIA". Jerusalem Post. 10 May 2018.
  24. ^ "Bahraini official supports Israel's right to defend itself". JTA. 10 May 2018.
  25. ^ Department, Blue Ltd. - Development. "حماس تدين استهداف سوريا وتؤكد أن "إسرائيل العدو الرئيس للأمة" - وكالة وطن للأنباء".
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