Syrian War Report – July 5, 2019: British Marines Seized Iranian Oil Tanker On July 4, a detachment of Royal Marines and the authorities in Gibraltar seized a supertanker suspected of carrying oil to Syria on the belief it was breaching EU sanctions. 30 Royal Marines from 42 Commando were involved in the operation targeting Grace 1 that had sailed from Iran. The operation was made upon request from the
Syrian War Report – July 4, 2019: Dozens Militants Killed In Airstrikes On Greater Idlib Six improvised-explosive devices (IEDs) exploded on a part of the Kirkuk–Ceyhan oil pipeline passing near Iraq’s Mosul on July 3. The IEDs attack caused a major fire on the 970km long pipeline with a capacity of 1,600 thousand barrels per day. According to the Iraqi side, the fire was contained after a short period of
https://southfront.org/trump-stopped-strike-on-iran-but-tensions-continued-to-grow/ Tensions continued to grow in the Persian Gulf region after the shoot-down of a $110 million U.S. RQ-4A Global Hawk surveillance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps over the Straight of Hormuz on June 20. According to the Iranian side, the UAV was in Iranian airspace off the shores of the district of Kouhmobarak when it was hit by a surface-to-air missile launched by the
https://southfront.org/persian-gulf-conflict-iran-shot-down-u-s-global-hawk-houthis-struck-saudi-power-plant-with-cruise-missile/ Late on June 19, Ansar Allah (also known as the Houthis) carried out a new one “cruise missile” strike on Saudi Arabia. The missile strike targeted a major power plant in the area of al-Shuqaiq in the Kingdom’s southern province of Jizan. Brig. Gen. Yahya Sari, a spokesman for the part of the Yemeni Armed Forces loyal to the Ansar Allah government said that the strike was a response
Syrian War Report – June 17, 2019: Turkish Artillery Struck Syrian Army Positions Near Idlib On June 16, Turkey said on that its forces had struck positions of the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) in response to an attack on one of its observation posts in the Idlib de-escalation zone. According to the Turkish Defense Ministry, the SAA shelled one of its posts near Murak in northern Hama. The defense
https://southfront.org/war-propaganda-and-us-military-buildup-against-iran/ Tensions continue to grow in the Persian Gulf. In early May, the US deployed the USS Abraham Lincoln strike group as well as the USS Arlington amphibious transport dock, additional marines, amphibious vehicles, rotary aircraft, Patriot missiles and a bomber strike force to the region claiming that this is a needed measure to deter Iran, which allegedly prepares to attack US troops and infrastructure. On May 21, Acting Defense
Syrian War Report – June 3, 2019: Israeli Military Intensifies Attacks On Syria Overnight on June 2, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) carried out a missile strike on Syrian Arab Army (SAA) targets in the southern part of the country. According to the IDF, the missiles hit 2 artillery batteries, observation and intelligence posts and an SA-2 (S-75 Dvina) aerial defense battery. The IDF says that the strike was conducted
Syrian War Report – May 27, 2019: Army Takes Back Kafr Nabudah, Delivers Blow To Militants On May 26, units of the Syrian Arab Army (SAA), the Tiger Forces and the National Defense Forces launched a surprise attack on the town of Kafr Nabudah in northwestern Hama, which had been recently captured by Hayat Tahir al-Sham (the former branch of al-Qaeda in Syria) and its Turkish-backed allies. The attack began
https://southfront.org/next-economic-crisis-and-looming-post-multipolar-system/ Written and produced by SF Team: J.Hawk, Daniel Deiss, Edwin Watson; Voiceover by Dermot Arrigan The Impending Crisis At one time, specifically during the post-World War 2 Bretton Woods era, it looked like as if the capitalist model could be indefinitely sustainable and avoid plunging the world into major world conflicts. That era began to come to an end during the stagflation crisis of the 1970s, and came to a complete end at the end
Syrian War Report – May 20, 2019: Hama Ceasefire Initiative Failed. Clashes Ongoing On May 17 and May 18, the Syrian Air Defense Forces (SADF) intercepted several unidentified aerial objects over Damascus and the southern part of the country. In both cases, the intercepted targets came from the southern Syria border, near the contact line with Israel. Some sources speculated that the SADF was repelling Israeli strikes. However, no explosions
The system down for 20 min today. A routine upgrade to the most current release of Debian will be applied. Regards Herb
Syrian War Report – May 8, 2019: Syrian Army Liberates Another Town In Northwestern Hama By May 8, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and its allies had repelled a series of counter-attacks by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham-led forces keeping control of all the positions captured in northwestern Hama. Especially intense clashes took place near Tell Ottman where, according to pro-government sources, the SAA eliminated at least 5 militants. Despite this, the SAA
Syrian War Report – May 7, 2019: Multiple Casualites Reported Amid Clashes In Northwestern Hama On May 6, air defenses of Russia’s Hmeimim airbase in Syria repelled two militant rocket attacks intercepting at least 36 projectiles, the Russian Defense Ministry reported. According to the defense ministry, the attacks caused no damage or casualties. Militants had used a unmanned aerial vehicle to direct their fire. The shelling came from the Idlib
Syrian War Report – May 6, 2019: Turkey-led Forces Suffer Casualties In Failed Attack On YPG Positions The Idlib de-escalation zone and the northern part of Aleppo province are now two main sources of instability in Syria. On May 4, the pro-Turkish National Syrian Army (NSA), backed by Turkish special forces, launched a surprise attack on positions of the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) in northern Aleppo. The NSA briefly
https://southfront.org/volodymyr-zelensky-the-donald-trump-of-ukrainian-politics/ Introduction The parallels between the successor to Poroshenko and the current occupant of the White House are striking. Neither has had significant prior experience with national politics prior to launching a bid for the supreme executive office of their respective countries. Giving credit for Trump, he has had extensive experience in managing large businesses, Zelenskiy has none. Both evaded compulsory military service citing health issues. Each owes his political
https://southfront.org/u-s-hybrid-war-on-venezuela-entered-hot-phase/ The US hybrid war on Venezuela has now entered a hot phase. On April 30, Juan Guaido, US-declared ‘Interim President’ of the country appeared in a video calling for a military uprising. Guaido, accompanied by heavily armed men, claimed that he had backing from the military and that the video was filmed at the Generalissimo Francisco de Miranda Air Base in the capital, Caracas. Opposition politician Leopoldo Lopez, who had been
Libyan War Report – Apr. 30, 2019: Haftar Forces Launch Push To Encircle Tripoli The new battle for Tripoli entered its fourth week. Since April 4, when Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar officially announced its Operation Flood of Dignity, the Libyan National Army (LNA) has reached Ayn Zara, but has not been able to capture it and reach the city itself. At the same time, the LNA has gained control of
By Pepe Escobar and posted by agreement with the author. The Beijing leadership seems to be aware that transparency is key for the global success of BRI, which is now supported by over 120 states and territories The Belt and Road Forum in Beijing was a graphic demonstration of how tactical adjustments are essential to enhance the appeal of a complex overall strategy. Talk about a turbo-charged 4.0 version of
Syrian War Report – Apr. 29, 2019: Russian, Syrian Forces Rain Hell On Idlib Militants ISIS and al-Qaeda have used the recent break in counter-terrorist operations across Syria to re-group and expand their activity. Over the past two weeks, ISIS cells operating in the Homs-Deir Ezzor desert carried out several successful attacks on positions and convoys of the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and its allies. At least two dozens of
Syrian War Report – Apr. 22, 2019: Chemical Weapons Warehouse Exploded In Western Aleppo https://southfront.org/syrian-war-report-apr-22-2019-chemical-weapons-warehouse-exploded-in-western-aleppo/ A supposed chemical weapons warehouse of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (formerly Jabhat al-Nursa) near city of al-Atarib in western Aleppo exploded on April 20. According to pro-government sources, the warehouse was one of the sites where militants were arming rockets and shells with toxic materials. Members of the notorious propaganda organization “White Helmets” reportedly recovered the
