As Israel increases security precautions, Syria attacks her own citizens with chemical weapons again.
This past Wednesday, Arabic language media outlet Al Jazeera reported a second chemical attack within Syria, with Al Arabiya claiming that only 20 people were injured. Video footage uploaded on the Internet showed doctors frantically smearing white cream on the reddened skin of several screaming people, many of them young boys. “Assad’s military aircraft have hit populated areas with the internationally prohibited phosphorus bombs and napalm,” the Syrian opposition coalition said in a statement. American intelligence believes that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime was behind this attack.
Israel began calling up limited numbers of reserve soldiers to prepare for possible Syrian retaliatory attacks should Western powers carry out threatened strikes on Syria. A second Iron Dome missile defense system was also deployed on Israel’s northern border.
In connection with these events, an Israel Defense Forces spokesperson commented that “the IDF is taking the necessary defense measures to safeguard the State of Israel.” IDF Spokesman Brig. Gen. Yoav Mordechai stated, “It is important to make clear that the developments around the events in Syria … are being led by the U.S. with a widening coalition, which includes other countries in the Middle East. As is required, the IDF is examining, following and watching the developments, hour by hour. The Home Front Command knows its job well and is prepared to give any required solution for the population, and therefore there is no reason to change our daily routine.”
Assessments in Jerusalem range from low to very low regarding the probability of Assad launching a missile attack on Israel in response to a U.S. strike. Israel has communicated the message that if it is attacked, it will bring down Assad’s regime.
By Rachel Avraham, staff writer for United With Israel
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