MI officer: Syria preparing its army for war with Israel

[Behind the Aegis]

The head of the research division of Military Intelligence, Brigadier General Yossi Baidatz, said Sunday that Syrian President Bashar Assad is preparing for a war with Israel.

He said that Assad has ordered increased production of long-range missiles and instructed the Syrian army to position its anti-tank missiles closer to the Syrian border with Israel, on the Golan Heights.

But, Baidatz told the cabinet, while Assad is "preparing the Syrian army for the possibility of a military conflict with Israel, on the other hand, he is not ruling out the possibility of reaching a political settlement with Israel."

He stressed that in Assad's view, his actions on the military front do not contradict his actions in the political realm.


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[Poll_Blind]

1. IDF zig-zags, says Syria NOT girding for summer war

From Ha'aretz, emphasis mine:

The Israel Defense Forces has no intelligence regarding Syrian plans to initiate a war against Israel next summer, the army announced Sunday night in an official statement.

This followed a day of contradictory statements regarding reports originating from Military Intelligence and the Northern Command.

IDF sources made it clear that assessments of the situation in the north are continuing, and preparations for a possible scenario involving the outbreak of war there next summer are part of a "working assumption" on the basis of which the forces' readiness can be improved.
--snip--

PB

[Kagemusha]

2. Is it stupid or naive to ask if this is prep for an Israeli invasion of Syria?

In other words, strengthening defensive positions? Because I don't see how anti-tank missiles can be used as offensive weapons just by moving them closer to the border. Especially when they'd have to fire uphill. Edit: And asking mostly because the quoted text is painfully vague on whether or not the conflict with Israel that Syria envisions, envisions Syria in an offensive role.

[pelsar]

5. the border area is relatively flat

where the fighting would take place with some hills spaced out .....anti tank country

[Lexingtonian]

3. sounds like Syria is preparing for an Israeli attack

With men of such bad tactical and strategic judgment as Halutz and Perez still running things on the Israeli side, Syria simply has to expect an attack on any minor incident that could function as a pretext.

[IntiRaymi]

4. Might be that they are getting ready to counter Israel's attack into Lebanon

There have been announcements for this one more than a few times now.