Israel bombs Syria

Damascus, Capital of Syria

Israel dropped bombs into Syria:

May 4, 2013

Israel has confirmed its warplanes have carried out an air strike into Syria. Unnamed Israeli officials said the target was a shipment of missiles believed to have been bound for Hezbollah militants in neighbouring Lebanon.

Previous reports that planes had struck a Syrian chemical weapons factory have been denied. http://www.euronews.com/2013/05/04/israeli-officials-confirm-air-strike-on-syrian-target/

May 04, 2013

Sources in Israel have confirmed that the country’s air force launched a strike in Syria against what are believed to be stockpiles of weapons headed for the Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon.

There has been no official statement on the attack from the Israeli government.

U.S. officials told news agencies late Friday that the strike occurred late Thursday or early Friday. The reports said there is no indication that Israeli warplanes entered Syrian airspace. The officials spoke to reporters anonymously.

Online news source Politico cites U.S. Senator Lindsay Graham, who serves on the Senate Armed Services Committee, as telling the audience at a Republican fundraising dinner Friday that Israel had bombed Syria that day. He did not elaborate.

If confirmed, this would be the second time Israel has conducted airstrikes on Syria this year. Israel recently stated that it conducted a January airstrike on a weapons convoy in Syria that was thought to be headed for Lebanon’s Hezbollah rebels. http://www.voanews.com/content/israeli-airstrike-in-syria-targeted-weapons-cache/1654492.html

May 4, 2013

WASHINGTON — Israeli aircraft bombed a target in Syria overnight Thursday, an Obama administration official said Friday night, as American officials said they were considering military options, including carrying out their own airstrikes.

American officials did not provide details on the target of the Israeli strike. The Associated Press quoted Israeli officials on Saturday as saying the target of the raid was a shipment of advanced missiles bound for the Hezbollah Shiite militia in Lebanon. While saying the shipment did not include chemical arms, the official described the missiles as “game changing,” an apparent reference to the capability of the missiles. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/05/world/middleeast/israel-syria.html?_r=0

May 4 2013

An Israeli airstrike against Syria was targeting a shipment of advanced missiles believed to be bound for the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, Israeli officials confirmed Saturday…

The strike comes as the U.S. considers how to respond to indications that the Syrian regime may have used chemical weapons in its bloody civil war. Mr. Obama has described the use of such weapons as a “red line,” and the administration is weighing its options — including possible military action.

As to whether Mr. Obama would ever send U.S. forces to fight on the ground in the middle of that Syrian civil war, he came as close as he ever has to ruling that out Friday, Garrett reports.

“I do not foresee a scenario in which boots on the ground in Syria, American boots on the ground in Syria, would not only be good for America but also would be good for Syria, and, by the way, when I consult with leaders in the region, who are very much interested in seeing President Assad leave office and stabilizing the situation in Syria, they agree with that assessment,” Mr. Obama told reporters.,,

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly warned in recent weeks that Israel would be prepared to take military action if chemical weapons or other arms that would upset the balance of power with Hezbollah were to reach the Islamic militant group.

The Israeli officials said the attack took place early Friday and was aimed at sophisticated “game-changing” weapons, but not chemical arms. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-57582884/israeli-strike-on-syria-targeted-weapons-shipment/

LATE UPDATE: 10 hours after the above news, the following was reported:

WASHINGTON — The airstrike that Israeli warplanes carried out in Syria overnight on Thursday was directed at a shipment of advanced surface-to-surface missiles from Iran that Israel believed was intended for Hezbollah, the militant Lebanese organization, American officials said Saturday. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/05/world/middleeast/israel-syria.html?_r=0

Iran and Syria are close allies and Israel has suggested that it would need to take military action against both.

It could be that Israel has apparently figured out Barack Obama’s earlier “red line” comment about Syrian use of chemical weapons did not mean that he wanted to directly attack Syria militarily, and Israel has taken its own, somewhat covert, action. And may be signally Syria that it is serious enough to go it alone against Syria.

Israel has contended that Syria is using chemical weapons crossed that “red line” (Britain and France claim Syria has used chemical weapons, while Israel considers a military strike) and this could lead to war (Iran’s nuclear program crossed red line? Syria’s chemical weapons crossed red line? Karl zu Guttenberg: ‘Germany must have Israel’s back’). Now, with this apparent bombing, the drum beats of war in this area appear to be increasing.

The reality is that the cost to Israel for a major regional war involving Syria and/or Iran will be higher than many in Israel believe. Between terrorist acts, sustained resistance, chemical weapons (Syria Reportedly Has Loaded Chemical Weapons into Bombs), biological weapons, EMP-type bombs (EMP attack can do more than knock-out electricity), and/or even disruptions of the internet (Iran Believed to be Behind Cyber-Attacks Against US Banks), Syria (along with its closest ally Iran, as well as allies such as Hezbollah) can inflict significant damage to their enemies.

Yet, the tiny of nation of Israel will not be eliminated by Syria or Iran–it will come later (by the King of the North of Daniel 11:39-40).

While Israel will end up with problems, it should be pointed out that both biblical and Islamic prophecy tell of the destruction of at least parts of Syria, such as its capital Damascus. Here is some of what Bible prophecies teaches:

7 thus says the Lord God: “It shall not stand, Nor shall it come to pass. 8 For the head of Syria is Damascus (Isaiah 7:7-8)

3 Thus says the Lord: “For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not turn away its punishment, Because they have threshed Gilead with implements of iron. (Amos 1:3)

1 The burden against Damascus. “Behold, Damascus will cease from being a city, And it will be a ruinous heap. (Isaiah 17:1)

23 Against Damascus. “Hamath and Arpad are shamed, For they have heard bad news. They are fainthearted; There is trouble on the sea; It cannot be quiet. 24 Damascus has grown feeble; She turns to flee, And fear has seized her. Anguish and sorrows have taken her like a woman in labor. 25 Why is the city of praise not deserted, the city of My joy? 26 Therefore her young men shall fall in her streets, And all the men of war shall be cut off in that day,” says the Lord of hosts. 27 “I will kindle a fire in the wall of Damascus, And it shall consume the palaces of Ben-Hadad.” (Jeremiah 49:23-27)

This destruction could come as the result of the current civil war or conflict with Israel. Is Syria hits hard at Israel (which could include, for example biological and/or chemical weapons), Israel could potentially destroy Damascus in a conventional and/or nuclear attack. If Israel does fulfill the prophecy about destroying Damascus (Isaiah 17:1), this would outrage much of the world. It also could trigger the “peace deal” of Daniel 9:27.

Now, because the Bible suggests that Syria will be involved in a confederation of North African and Middle Eastern nations (Ezekiel 30:1-8; Psalm 83:4-8) who will support a leader that the Bible refers to as the final King of the South (Daniel 11:40-43), this likely means that the Assad regime will have to at least change, if not completely fall, and that whatever regime replaces it, it will most likely agree to be in this prophesied confederation. A confederation that is also prophesied to fail (Daniel 11:40-43; Ezekiel 30:1-8). The Muslim Brotherhood has long pushed for the type of confederation that the Bible warns will involve many Arabic nations (Ezekiel 30:1-8).

More trouble is coming to Damascus as it will be destroyed (Isaiah 17:1). An Islamic confederation that will include the land of Syria is coming (Daniel 11:40-43; Ezekiel 30:1-8; Psalm 83:4-8) is coming. There will be other troubles for Israel.

“And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!” (Mark 13:37).

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Damascus and Syria in Prophecy Will Bashar Assad hold power as he has it? Does the Bible show that Damascus, the capital of Syria, will be destroyed? What will happen to Syria? Will the Syrians support the final King of the South that the Bible tells will rise up? Which scriptures discuss the rise and fall of an Arabic confederation? Does Islamic prophecy predict the destruction of Syria. This is a YouTube video.
Is There A Future King of the South? Some no longer believe there needs to be. Might Egypt, Islam, Iran, Arabs, or Ethiopia be involved? Might this King be called the Mahdi? What does the Bible say?
The Arab and Islamic World In the Bible, History, and Prophecy The Bible discusses the origins of the Arab world and discusses the Middle East in prophecy. What is ahead for the Middle East and those who follow Islam? What about the Imam Mahdi? What lies ahead for Turkey, Iran, and the other non-Arabic Muslims?
Is There an Islamic Antichrist? Is Joel Richardson correct that the final Antichrist will be Islamic and not European? Find out.
The Muslim Brotherhood and the Rise of the King of the South The Bible tells of the formation of a power of nations that are in the Middle East and North Africa that are part of the final “King of the South” (Daniel 11:40-43) The Muslim Brotherhood wishes to have an Islamic empire with basically the same nations. This YouTube video explains what to expect from such a confederation.
Barack Obama in Islamic Prophecy? There is actually a 17th century Shiite prophecy that some believe that Barack Obama will fulfill that will lead to a rising up of Islam.
Prophecies of Barack Obama? Reasons why Barack Obama is apocalyptic and reasons why Barack Obama is not the Antichrist. This article includes many biblical and non-biblical prophecies, from around the world, that seem to discuss Barack Obama. Did Nostradamus predict Barack Obama dealing with the Antichrist? Might Barack Obama set the stage for the kings of the North and South as at least one Shiite prophecy suggests? Read it and decide for yourself if President Obama seems to be fulfilling various prophecies.