Analysis And Commentary On Israel's Airstrikes Against Syria

Israeli Attacks Inside Syria Risk Widening War -- Christa Case Bryant and Nicholas Blanford, Christian Science Monitor

Israel as well as Syria and its Lebanese-ally Hezbollah all have little interest in a wider conflict. But as Israel grows more assertive across its borders, the chance of a miscalculation is on the rise.

The sudden and dramatic escalation in Israeli air strikes against suspected military targets in Syria risks turning Syria’s two-year civil war into a regional conflict. Israel as well as Syria and its allies have an apparent interest in avoiding an escalation in the short-term, but a miscalculation on either side could ramp up the fighting.

“We are coming very close to it,” says Timur Goksel, a university lecturer in Beirut who served with the United Nations peacekeeping force in south Lebanon from 1979 to 2003. “A severe case of brinkmanship is being played at the moment.”

Syria and the Lebanon-based Shiite movement Hezbollah, which has long relied on Syria’s Assad regime to funnel weapons from Iran, appear to have been drawing into a closer alliance as the Syrian civil war intensifies. If Israel continues to launch air strikes into Syria, says Mr. Goksel, “they will have to react.… The Israelis are pushing it to the edge.”

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More Analysis And Commentary On Israel's Air Strikes Against Syria

Assad's dilemma: Blame Israeli strike on rebels or retaliate and risk open war -- Zvi Bar'el, Haaretz
Analysis: Israel may be ready for more active military role in Syria -- Richard Engel, Chief Foreign Correspondent, NBC News
Israel pursues "war-within-war" in Syria air strikes -- Jeffrey Heller, Reuters
News Analysis: Three possible motives behind Israel's recent airstrike on Syria -- Xinhuanet
A look at what’s behind the escalation of Israel’s involvement in Syria -- Washington Post
A look at reasons for Israeli airstrikes in Syria -- Karin Laub, Houston Chronicle/AP
With each strike, Israel both pressures Assad to respond and risks a blunder -- Amos Harel, Haaretz
Israeli air strikes: A warning to Syria's Assad -- Jonathan Marcus, BBC News
Strikes on Syria Signal an Emboldened Israel -- Karl Vick and Aaron J. Klein, Time
Analysis: Israel enforcing red lines on Syria -- Yaakov Lappin, Jerusalem Post
Israeli raids in Syria highlight Arab conundrum -- Sarah El Deeb and Brian Murphy, AP
Iran is stepping up its preparations for war with Israel -- Con Coughlin, The Telegraph
Israeli air strikes on Damascus threaten regional spillover -- Joel Greenberg, The Globe and Mail
Why the US must now lead in Syria -- Ghanem M. Nuseibeh and Eli Epstein, Jerusalem Post
Israeli airstrikes on Syria put Obama at the crossroads -- Tom Howell Jr., The Washington Times
A strong U.S. response to Syria? Experts say not likely -- USA Today