Syria deploys anti-aircraft systems near the Israeli Golan border

Damascus: Syria has deployed a Pantsir S1 anti-aircraft system near the Israeli border at the Golan Heights, and a Syrian commander warned that this deployment is targeted against Israel. This is only the beginning and more such systems will be deployed in this region, informed the Syrian Army Commander. Israel had organised a war exercise in the Golan Heights region, two days ago. Now the Syrian deployment of the anti-aircraft system has increased tension at the Israel-Syria border.

The movements of the Syrian army have increased in south western Syria near the Golan Heights border. A Syrian Commander involved in these military developments, gave this information to an international news agency. An additional division of the Syrian army has reached the border area and the Russian made Pantsir S1 anti-aircraft system also has been deployed there.

The Syrian officer said that Pantsir has been deployed to protect the Syrian airspace mainly from the Israeli fighter jets. The Commander clarified that few more air defence systems will also be deployed in the region within next few days. Neither the Syrian government nor its army has reacted to the matter. But it is said that this military deployment is in view of the war exercises started by Israel in the Golan Heights region.

Israeli military has started a war exercise in the Golan Heights region from the last four days and the exercise includes Israeli tanks, military vehicles and artillery. Considering the prevailing tension between Israel and Syria over the border, it is felt that Israel has further added to this tension by conducting this war exercise. The Israel military has claimed that this is a planned exercise and has nothing to do with the developments in Syria.

It is claimed that Syria has issued a warning to Israel by deploying the Pantsir system in the Golan Heights region. The repercussions of the withdrawal of the United States from the Iran nuclear deal were felt on the Israel-Syria border. The Iranian and Iran-affiliated soldiers had launched 32 rocket attacks in the Golan Heights region of Israel. In retaliation to these attacks, Israel had carried out strong attacks on the Iranian locations in Syria.

The Syrian army had used Pantsir to target the Israeli fighter jets. But a video was released, showing that the Russian made Pantsir was destroyed in the Israeli attacks. Now Syria has seemingly incited Israel with the deployment of Pantsir near the Golan border. The Chief of the Israeli Air force has already warned that if these anti-aircraft systems try to target the Israeli jets, then they will be destroyed.

The Israeli media have claimed that the Syrian deployment of the Pantsir is for protecting the Iranian locations in Syria. Israel has demanded withdrawal of the Iranian and Iran affiliated soldiers. But the Assad regime in Syria has justified this deployment. Therefore, there can be a strong reaction from Israel about the Pantsir deployment in the Golan Heights border area.

Meanwhile, the Lebanese army has claimed that the Israeli fighter jets are patrolling in the Syria-Lebanon border area.