Iraq has announced that its Border with Syria is now Closed.

— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) November 30, 2024

in the 1950s and 1960s there were SIX separate coups against the Syrian President

then in 69 and 1970 Hafez Al Assad launched more coups and installed himself as dictator- where he and his son would rule for the next 54 years.

that may be coming to an end INSHALLAH!

🚨 🚨 🚨 🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨
State run TV in Syria has now gone off air. If you know anything about 20th century Syrian politics you know this likely means a coup is underway

Syria has had around 7 coups since 1946

— Druze Saher (@DruzeSaher32) November 30, 2024

I Have seen photos of Kueweiris Air Base captured by the Rebels

with serviceable Russkie aircraft on the apron.

AtticusMatlock said:

---

No telling what is actually going on in the background. They were making headway in diplomatic negotiations before October 7th. I think a lot of the tough talk from Erdogan is to the local audience to maintain support given their current economic difficulties.

Turkey wants to be the preemininent regional power. Iran wants the same. The enemy of my enemy is my friend may win the day here.

---

the best possible outcome is for Russia, IRGC, Hizbullah and Iran being unable or unwilling to save Assad and his Alawite regime

because the larger strategic impact would show the Iranian citizens they can overthrow the Islamic Republic finally.

no one is going into the streets to be murdered if they feel it is hopeless, but if after 14 years they can dump Assad, they can do it in Teheran as well.

that is the most important strategic objective in the world right now.

keep in mind- it took YEARS for some rebel forces to break into Hama and Homs and Aleppo and they were driven out years ago.

From 2011-2014 there were heavy battles between the rebels and the Syrian Army. Eventually Hizbullah and Russia joined to save Assad

now in DAYS major towns hundreds of miles apart are falling!

#Syria BREAKING: rebel forces have ENTERED the city of #Hama.

It seems the regime has abandoned the city. pic.twitter.com/HzNHB7X24U

— Thomas van Linge (@ThomasVLinge) November 30, 2024

This is all probably bad news, imho. Hope I'm wrong of course. "Coup underway."

Interesting, coup underway in Damascus by Hassan Louka, Assad’s chief of General Security and Assad’s point man on moving Syria out of Irans orbit and more towards the Russians. Possibly a Russian sponsored coup. pic.twitter.com/449OmW9O0g

— RomanMeehar (@MeeharRoman) November 30, 2024

If you want to know more or less how this soccer match ends here's a map.

If rebels take Homs & then Al-Qusayr just south of it they'll have split the regime in Damascus from its Alawite strongholds along the coast. pic.twitter.com/zypSoheeub

— Druze Saher (@DruzeSaher32) November 30, 2024

Quote:

---

Bottom Line

The insurgent breakthrough toward Damascus and the inability of the Syrian Army to rally is not a good sign for Assad. The initial interpretation of the offensive taking place while Assad was out of the country as a sign that the regime was caught flatfooted now seems, to me, to be in error. Assad was in Moscow with his family while Russia's foreign minister and Putin were out of the country. So, it clearly was not a state visit. It is beginning to look like he knew what was coming. If a coup is underway in Damascus, there is a high probability that it will succeed, and an immediate attempt will be made to reach an arrangement with the insurgents. What happens then is anyone's guess.

---

Edit to add; there are brutal videos online (such as from 'mylordbebo' of beheadings and executions of Syrian army soldiers. It's all horrible, do not recommend seeking them out.)

This may be an Afghanistan-speed collapse of the Syrian regime. Launching from Idlib, they've moved northeast to Aleppo and are now moving south toward Homs having already moved into Hama. Homs is the last big city on the road south to Damascus. Latakia is to the west of Idlib. This is where the primary Russian bases and where Assad's Alawite people are. Possible they could be cut off from all roads to the capital.

A Russian transport aircraft just took off from Damascus headed toward Moscow, the same one Al-Assad flew back to Syria on yesterday. Is he on it and fleeing back to Russia? I guess we'll find out soon.

Are the Iranian-controlled Islamist militias on the border between Syria and Israel about to be replaced by Turkish-controlled Islamist militias? pic.twitter.com/LjZxh4bFXc

— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) November 30, 2024

What would that look like, if Turkey starts trying to destroy Israel. Lots of tough decisions there

AgBQ-00 said:

---

What would that look like, if Turkey starts trying to destroy Israel. Lots of tough decisions there

---

Turkey has had plenty of opportunity in the last several years to get into it with Israel if they really wanted to.

they do not.

certainly looks true that this is a convoy of Rebels passing through Hama on the way to Homs-

already an advance of 100 miles in two days!

Syrian rebels have taken Hama and are now moving south to Homs. The Moscow-Tehran-Damascus Axis is in severe crisis. This is, of course, a consequence of Israel defeating Hezbollah. pic.twitter.com/Hz3cVx2ORJ

— Mike (@Doranimated) November 30, 2024

So the folks we are backing are listed as Communists? Is that correct?

It's certainly bad news for Russia, so I'm not surprised you agree

YouBet said:

---

So the folks we are backing are listed as Communists? Is that correct?

---

I mean, yeah, but they are the 'good' version of communists. /sarcasm.

It's all insane. Along those lines, that Turkish F-4 that intercepted an Iranian F-14 was heavily upgraded in the 1990's by Israeli Aircraft Industries.

Quote:

---

The Turkish Air Force embarked on a considerable modernization journey for some of its Phantoms in the late 1990s, signing a $632-million deal with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). That agreement would see 54 of the roughly 200 F-4Es it had in its inventory upgraded to Terminator 2020 configuration. The project was dubbed F-4E-2020, in light of its objective to keep the aircraft flying at least until that year. Out of the 54, about half were considerably modified by IAI in Israel with new avionics systems, originally destined for the country's own 'Kurnass' Phantom program before it was canceled. The remaining airframes were upgraded in Turkey via kits provided by Israel.
The new Turkish Terminators were fitted with:

• Elbit's ELOP 976 wide-angle head-up display (HUD) and hands on throttle and stick (HOTAS) flight controls;
• Higher-performance Elta EL/M-2032 multimode airborne fire-control radar (initially developed for IAI's Lavi indigenous fighter program);
• Elta EL/L-8222 electronic countermeasures pod;
• Dual MIL-STD-553B databus avionics package;
• AN/ALQ-178 passive self-protection suite;
• New UHF/VHF radio antennas and onboard multifunction displays;
• New GPS/INS precision targeting navigation equipment.

Additionally, the F-4Es were also armed with enhanced air-to-ground capabilities, including the Israeli AGM-142 Popeye standoff missile, AGM-65A/B Maverick air-to-ground missiles, and GBU-10/12 Paveway laser-guided bombs.

---

I'm rooting for a meteor. That place is a mess and we should leave it.

Chemical weapons manufacturing facility in rebel hands: Israel/US may have to intervene.

Syrian Channels are reporting that Rebels have taken control of several Weapons Manufacturing Plants near the City of Al-Safira in the Aleppo Governorate, with these Factories previously used for the production and storage of Chemical Weapons that the Assad Regime used on…

— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) November 30, 2024

According to Opposition Channels, Armored Vehicles and Fighters of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are massing in the Raqqa Governorate and near the City of Deir ez-Zor to the East; with some believing that they are preparing to launch an Offensive against Pro-Assad Regime and… pic.twitter.com/SOB1ENbmG8

— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) November 30, 2024

Reading some reports now that the rebels have pulled out of Hama and Assad's Syrian Army is reentering the city.

YouBet said:

---

So the folks we are backing are listed as Communists? Is that correct?

---

actually this is the one time that the communists are the GOOD GUYS

they are mostly Kurdish communists.

the BAATH Party in Syria which controlled them for 50 years is basically communist orientation.

better a commie than an Islamist Jihadi

the most strategic move would be for the SDF and all Kurdish and allied forces to push due south and southeast along the iraqi border until they get to the Jordan border

then link up with Royal Jordanian forces who can push through Israeli army support to the Kurds in a direct line. Kurds give fuel, israel gives weapons and training

First reports of persecution of Christians by the Islamist Idlib rebels in Aleppo.

After entering Christian neighbourhoods in the city, they have started destroying all Christmas trees and Christian symbols they can find.

The Christians have fled to Kurdish-held neighbourhoods pic.twitter.com/RgE35HbroV

— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) November 30, 2024

The White House has released its First Statement, since the beginning of the ongoing Rebel Offensive in Northern Syria, with them stating, “The United States has nothing to do with this Offensive, which is led by Hay’at Tahir al-Sham (HTS), a Designated Terrorist Organization -… pic.twitter.com/jTGDqC5RqA

— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) December 1, 2024

Syria seems to be massing a lot of troops in Hama, likely planning a counter-attack.

samurai_science said:

---

We should support Assad, Syria was a lot better before radicals tried to take over. DIctators in the Middle East keeps it a lot safer and stable.

---

Support the guy who uses chemical weapons on his own people?

Can we use this situation to kick Turkey out of NATO?

If you own real estate In Damascus, dump it. Soon, it will be undeveloped ruins.

AtticusMatlock said:

---

Saddam Hussein was an evil man but did keep things stable. He quelled jihadi groups in Iraq. He was a military check on Iran. Taking him out threw the entire region into chaos.

---

If we go after the cartels, it may just do the same thing.

I spoke with my relatives in Aleppo:

1. Till now, HTS has brought no harm to Christians. Many HTS militants stationed in Christian neighbourhoods are Halabi.
2. The curfew continues.
3. HTS provides Aleppo with more electricity than Assad did.

I'm relieved but cautious.

— George Meneshian (@GMeneshian) December 1, 2024

Hallabi = locals

And another report:

A lot of disinformation has been shared by pro-#Assad accounts about the situation in #Aleppo since its takeover. It's been entirely calm (apart from #Assad/#Russia airstrikes).

Here's a dispatch from the Christian district of Sulaymaniyah today: pic.twitter.com/2eHi2dwl5B

— Charles Lister (@Charles_Lister) December 1, 2024

Hopefully this is a good sign.

A silver lining?

CENTCOM watching all of the Iranian militias that have been attacking US forces for years lining up in neat little columns before heading West to save Assad https://t.co/n3xllCAr2k pic.twitter.com/69fRpjUAtC

— Artoir (@ItsArtoir) December 1, 2024

AtticusMatlock said:

---

A silver lining?

CENTCOM watching all of the Iranian militias that have been attacking US forces for years lining up in neat little columns before heading West to save Assad https://t.co/n3xllCAr2k pic.twitter.com/69fRpjUAtC

— Artoir (@ItsArtoir) December 1, 2024

---

Ducks on a pond !

But why use the A-10…. Just use some cluster bombs !

Another undeclared war and country we've invaded.

inconvenient truth said:

---

Fund all sides just enough to give them hope of victory and let them fight amongst themselves.

---

Nah, sell all sides weapons and make money on it. Don't pick sides. In a Turkey vs Iran vs Saudi vs Israel mess that the Middle East is becoming the only winning move is not to truly pick sides.

Yukon Cornelius said:

---

Another undeclared war and country we've invaded.

---

https://www.yahoo.com/news/whats-happening-syria-know-complex-140633445.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall

Syria is part of the Axis with Iran, Hezballah, and Hamas.. we have 900 troups there trying to keep Iran from having a greater influence. There are a lot of parties trying to influence this Syrian civil war, it's just not the US. It's no doubt a convoluted royal mess and helpless people are dying. I'm not certain how or why all this started but it's been going on for many many years, US could back away and they would all still fight. Israel could probably handle this without our involvement I would suspect.

This is now two countries that Russia was propping up that they have shown weakness in. Armenia being the other where Azerbaijan took over the Nagorno-Karabakh area that Russia had been the defacto defender of.