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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Iranians Joining Hizbullah in Key Syria Battle |
| 2013-05-22 |
| [An Nahar] Iranians are working alongside Hizbullah fighters to back Syrian troops battling to retake the rebel stronghold of Qusayr amid fears of a civilian massacre, a U.S. official said Tuesday. "It is the most visible effort we have seen by Hizbullah to engage directly in the fighting in Syria as a foreign force, and we understand there are also Iranians up there," a senior State Department official told news hounds. His information was based on reports from commanders of the rebel Free Syrian Army, but he was unable to give any estimates of how many Hizbullah fighters or Iranians were involved, and what exact role the Iranians were playing. "I don't know that they are directly involved in the fighting, but I don't think the people that I'm talking to know that themselves," the official told news hounds travelling with U.S. Secretary of State John F. I was in Vietnam, you knowKerry Former Senator-for-Life from Massachussetts, self-defined war hero, speaker of French, owner of a lucky hat,conqueror of Cambodia, and current Secretary of State... "This is an important thing to note -- the direct implication of foreigners on Syrian soil for the regime," he cautioned on a conference call in Muscat. Many opposition commanders had reported that forces from Hizbullah "are directly engaged in fighting literally on the streets. They say that their men... are directly fighting against Hizbullah commanders." "Iran's role and Hizbullah's role have grown substantially over the last couple of months," he warned ahead of a Friends of Syria meeting to be held in Jordan on Wednesday. Observers have alleged that Hizbullah fighters were leading the battle for Qusayr in Homs province, three days after the Syrian regime began an assault to regain control of the town. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #6 "I don't know that they are directly involved in the fighting" > Prolly very safe to say so given the recent comments of Iranian Govt-Army Officios, Clerics themselves - IT WOULD BE MORE SURPRISING IFF THEY WEREN'T DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN COMBAT. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2013-05-22 19:31 |
| #5 zf, by almost any objective standards the Syrians really weren't that good in 1973. On oct 6, they attacked with a 10-1 numerical advantage and significantly heavier equipment. By Oct 9 when the Israeli reserves integrated into the IDF, the Syrians were already retreating the retreat became disorganized by Oct 22. Its true that a brigade of Syrians held Mt Hermon until the 22nd but their tactical position was nicely fortified nicely tucked into the terrain. |
| Posted by: lord garth 2013-05-22 10:13 |
| #4 ZF, probably exactly the same. Same soldiers, same weapons, same commanders. They're a little slower now though 8^). Question is when do the Russkis start having to "help". |
| Posted by: AlanC 2013-05-22 07:22 |
| #3 Same Soviet tanks this time around? |
| Posted by: Raj 2013-05-22 01:27 |
| #2 Hard to believe that this is the same Syrian army that gave the Israelis a run for their money in 1973. |
| Posted by: Zhang Fei 2013-05-22 00:38 |
| #1 hezb and the basij and assads troops only 10 mile from Lebanon and they are having trouble taking one village not a good sign for them |
| Posted by: lord garth 2013-05-22 00:30 |