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On July 9, units of the Syrian Arab Army (SAA), assisted by the Russian Military Police, retook all militant positions on the Syrian-Jordanian border south of the city of Daraa. So, the SAA fully encircled the remaining militant positions in and near the city.
On July 10, Russian-backed negotiations between the Damascus government and militants in the area continued. However, if militant groups continue refusing to surrender, they will face military action, which they will find hard to contain.
Thus, despite hysteria in the mainstream media and multiple anti-Russian and anti-government statements by representatives of the so-called moderate opposition, they have few options and little time to decide.
The only chunk of the Jordanian-Syrian border in the province of Daraa which remains in the hands of militants is the ISIS-held area east of the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. The expected SAA military operation against ISIS as well as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham east of the Golan Heights is already causing concern among the Israeli leadership.
On July 9, Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman said that his country will “respond harshly” to any attempts by the Syrian military to enter the demilitarized area in the Golan Heights.
His statement followed airstrikes by the Israeli Air Force overnight into July 9 on the T4 airbase in the Syrian province of Homs. The Syrian military said that its air defense forces intercepted a few missiles and targeted an Israeli warplane. The military admitted that some missiles hit the base. The Israeli side denies that any of its warplanes were hit.
It’s highly likely that Tel Aviv will use the Syrian military operation against ISIS and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham in order to accuse Damascus of violating the 1974 disengagement agreement and to conduct more attacks on government forces. However, a limited number of strikes will not be able to change the strategic situation in the area or to prevent the SAA from retaking it.
Meanwhile, militants in the reconciled part of Daraa province have surrendered another batch of weapons, including at least 11 US TOW missile launchers, 17 TOW missiles, dozens of Bulgarian Fagot missiles, several improved Malutka missiles, two Shilka self-propelled vehicles, 4 BMP-1 armoured vehicles, seven battle tanks as well as other weapons and equipment.
In northern Latakia, militants launched another attack on SAA positions from the so-called Turkish zone of responsibility in the Idlib de-escalation zone engaging government troops in the Turkmen Mountains area.
The SAA lost no positions, but according to pro-militants sources, a few government troops were killed or injured.
The militant-held province of Idlib remains the stronghold of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (the former branch of al-Qaeda in Syria) and other radical groups. These groups await their turn in the ongoing anti-terrorist operation of the Syrian-Iranian-Russian alliance.
On July 9, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad once again stated that Damascus will “liberate the territories of all Syrian provinces, no matter whose control they are under.”
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201807101066234734-us-syria-russia/
Pompeo claims Russia is in violation of agreement of deconfliction zone..
..
http://www.iamawake.co/the-shady-oil-company-behind-syrias-hidden-war-golan-israel-genie/
How can these “extraction rights” be legal in the Golan Heights…..can this be challenged in any way apart from as well as Syria reclaiming the territory?
US has no clear strategy for Syria — Russian defense minister
http://tass.com/politics/1012680
The United States has no clear strategy for Syria, Russian Defense Minister Army General Sergei Shoigu said in an interview with Italy’s Il Giornale daily published on Wednesday.
“Since US lawmakers and experts have been calling on the government to clarify its strategy for Syria, our country is not the only one who does not get it,” Shoigu said. He added that “if there is some basis for our American counterparts’ actions in Syria, it is too contradictory to be called a strategy.”
The Russian defense minister pointed out that Washington had been changing its view of the US military presence in Syria. “I would like to recall that initially, it was about defeating the ISIL [the former name of the Islamic State terror group outlawed in Russia – TASS], then about preventing the re-emergence of the ISIL and now statements are being made about the need to preserve military presence in Syria in order to deter Iran’s alleged influence,” Shoigu said.
According to him, “one can’t help thinking that the United States’ chief objective in Syria is to prevent the situation from stabilizing, prolong the conflict and undermine the country’s territorial integrity by creating enclaves not controlled by the government in Syria’s remote regions.” Shoigu added that militants who had received training in the US-controlled areas of Syria were fighting against the Syrian army, getting enough arms and ammunition.
The Russian defense minister also emphasized that in the past years, the US had not spent a cent to help civilians in Syria, particularly in the city of Raqqa liberated with the assistance of the US military.
“On the other hand, not a single incident has been recorded during the Syrian troops’ operations to liberate various regions and localities. Demining activities took place there, people received food and construction materials they needed to resume a peaceful life as soon as possible,” the Russian defense minister said.”
Full report of ongoing southwest Syria battle – map
https://mobile.almasdarnews.com/article/full-report-of-ongoing-southwest-syria-battle-map/
“The battle for southwest Syria has recently taken a turn for the worse for the rebel forces, as they now find themselves fully besieged inside the provincial capital of Daraa.
The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) continued their large-scale offensive around the provincial capital of Daraa, today, seizing several points from the rebel forces in the process.
As a result of this advance by the Syrian Arab Army, the rebel forces find themselves confined to an area of approximately 45 square kilometers.”
Daraa Map Update: Syrian Army inching closer to ISIS pocket in west Daraa
https://mobile.almasdarnews.com/article/daraa-map-update-syrian-army-inching-closer-to-isis-pocket-in-west-daraa/
“Rebels’ reign in the western countryside of Daraa is increasingly shrinking as more town and villages enter into reconciliation agreements with the Syrian Army; which keeps on advancing toward the small area controlled by Islamic State.”
Meanwhile, as their dream of greater israel moves from one defeat to another, the zionazis continue the psywar ops:
Israeli Military Fires Patriot Missile at Unidentified Drone From Syria – IDF
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201807111066258717-israel-sirens-drone/