Late-Breaking Mideast Developments

(Mideast News Update)

6-16-13

++++++

Iran To Send Another
4,000 Troops To Syria

In an apparent response to the White House announcement of providing assistance to Syrian rebels, Iran's Supreme Ayatollah has decided to send 4,000 Iranian Revolutionary Guards to Syria in support of the Syrian regime.

A British newspaper, The Independent, cites pro-Iranian sources claiming that the decision to send troops was made before Iran's presidential elections. We suspect it was made the day before the election. The same day that the White House announced plans for intervention in Syria.

More on this, LINK HERE to the Independent's article. For a condensed version, see Israel's YNET News coverage - LINK HERE.

++++++

Assad Forces Prepare For New
Major Offensive Against Rebels


LINK

++++++

Israeli Forces To Conduct
Massive War Drill This Week
Ground & Air Units Involved


LINK

++++++

US & Israel Coordinating Strategy
On Targeting Assad's Arsenal
18 Chemical Weapons Caches Targeted


LINK 1

LINK 2

+++++++

US & Israeli Defense Chiefs Meet
To Discuss Syria, Iran


LINK

++++++

America Troops Now on Syrian Border

4,500 U.S. Troops Prepare for Jordanian War Games


LINK

++++++

Canadian Troops To Jordan
For Joint War Games Exercise


LINK

+++++++

Russia Objects to any

USA No-Fly Zone Over Syria

Says It Would Violate International Law


LINK

++++++

White House Says No Plans

For "No Fly" Zone


LINK

+++++++

US Decision for Syrian Intervention

Was Made Weeks Ago

We reported several weeks ago that the Obama Administration advisers were urging intervention in Syria and that a decision had been made but would be delayed until the Iranian elections. Sure enough, the White House announcement for intervention came as Iranian voters were casting ballots. More on this story, LINK HERE.

+++++++

70 Syrian Officers Defect To Turkey


LINK

+++++++

Britain May Join USA Efforts in Syria


LINK

+++++++

Former UK PM Says

"Take Action or Risk Disaster"

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair is warning the West that action must be taken in Syria or risk disaster in the Middle East. .

+++++++

Saudi King Cuts Holiday Short

Flies Back To Kingdom Due To
"Events in the Region"

Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah has cut short a vacation to his palace in Morocco and returned to the Kingdom for consultations, after the White House announced it would assist in limited intervention in the Syria civil war. LINK HERE.

++++++

Egypt Cuts Diplomatic Ties with Syria

Egypt's Prez Calls for "No-Fly" Zone


LINK 1

LINK 2

++++++

Thousands Rally in Egypt for Syrian Jihad

Egyptians rallied by the thousands in Cairo on Friday calling for Jihad in support of their fellow Sunni Muslims in Syria. Calls are going out for volunteers to go and fight against Assad's forces. More details, LINK HERE.

++++++

Iranian Presidential Election:

"Centrist" Candidate Wins

Not that it means much, but Iran's Presidential election is over and the ballots are counted. Results indicate that a "outside centrist has won, but such terms mean little. There were no real outsiders running for President and the whole election is basically "engineered." The victor has been an "establishment" insider for many years and very much acceptable to the Supreme Ayatollah who is the real power controlling the Iranian government, along with the Revolutionary Guards leadership. Any President of Iran is but merely a figure head with little real power.

However, President-elect Hassan Rouhani has already stated his intention to offer up compromises with the West over the Iranian nuclear program. The purpose of negotiating compromise is see sanctions removed, particularly sanctions that have crippled Iran's ability to sell its crude oil.

The leadership within the Revolutionary Guards will not tolerate any concessions and apparently any moderation. Even before the votes were counted, one senior officer in the IRGC leadership indicated that the outcome of the election didn't really matter because anyone "victor" at odds with the IRGC would likely be overthrown in a military coup, probably even before taking the oath of office.

For more on election coverage, LINK HERE.

+++++++

Congress Promises Israel New Help


LINK

+++++++

Hezbollah Says It Will

Continue to Fight For Assad

Despite US Intervention


LINK

++++++

Nigeria Has a Hezbollah Problem


LINK

+++++++

Turkish Protests Continue
Prime Minister Blames Jews


LINK 1

LINK 2

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

-