http://www.liveleak.com/browse?q=Moscow Wed, 22 May 2013 17:18:02 -0400 Liveleak http://edge.liveleak.com/80281E/u/u/ll2/logo.gif http://www.liveleak.com/browse?q=Moscow Tue, 21 May 2013 22:54:55 -0400 http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=331_1369191210 cathy winslow Animal astronauts return from space mission A Russian space capsule containing mice, sand eels, geckos, gerbils, snails, fish, plants and microflora has returned from a month long mission to space. The Bion-M craft made a parachute-assisted landing on a field in the Orenberg Region, 1,200 kilometres southeast of Moscow on Monday. A mobile laboratory and helicopters were dispatched to the landing zone for immediate testing of the effects of weightlessness on the animal's cell structure. The Bion-M capsule, attached to a Soyuz 2-1A rocket, was blasted into space from Kazakhstan on April 19 for a study examining the effects of microgravity on the organism's skeleton, muscles, heart and nervous system. The rocket spun at an orbital height of 575 kilometres above Earth, surpassing that of the International Space Station. The different species in the 'space menagerie' were divided up into five different containers for the 30 day journey, which not all the animals survived. An equipment failure killed eight gerbils onboard while half of the 53 mice also perished; all 15 geckos survived. Scientists hope the findings will help pave the way to the building of a planned base on the moon for unmanned flights to Mars. The survivors will be studied by laboratories in the US, Europe, Kazakhstan, Russia and Ukraine. In February 2010, Iran launched a mouse, two turtles and some worms into space atop a rocket. http://ruptly.tv/vod/view/1373/russia-animal-astronauts-return-from-space-mission http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=331_1369191210 cathy winslow Animal astronauts return from space mission Russia,Technology,Space,Animals Tue, 21 May 2013 20:15:52 -0400 http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=6de_1369181652 flashpointreport Source: http://syriareport.net/turning-point-battle-for-al-qusayr/ Following the securing of villages surrounding the key city of Al-Qusayr in Homs province, Syrian aircraft dropped flyers over the city on May 10th. The flyers informed civilians in the besieged town of a corridor to the North through which they were urged to evacuate pending an imminent offensive to uproot embedded militants. Observers were expecting a speedy offensive, but due to a lull in civilian evacuation, the assault was postponed on or around May 14th. Recently, reports suggest civilians who later tried to leave, were forced to stay, utilised as a human shield by divided, arguing militant factions. Why is Al-Qusayr important?Al-Qusayr is a small city with a population of between 30,000 and 50,000 about 9 km from the northeastern border of Lebanon. It is also 22 km southwest of Homs. Due to it's proximity to Lebanon, Al-Qusayr is an attractive position for militant groups trafficking arms and personnel. Al-Qusayr is a strategic link between Damascus, the coast, and Homs, Hama and Aleppo to the north. Since March, the Syrian army has been on the offensive, securing key areas in Aleppo, Damascus countryside , Dara'a and Homs. The primary objective of these pinpoint operations is the disruption and eliminating of supply lines from neighbouring countries, a lifeline enabling militant groups to continue their attrition against Syrian army installations such as airbases. In Rif Dimashq (Damascus countryside) specifically, militant organisations intensified attempts to disrupt life in Damascus with regular mortar and rocket attacks, and occasional car bombs. Following a stunning deployment of artillery and airpower on May 19th, Syrian forces and it's allied guerrilla detachments of the National Defence Forces (NDF) and Hezbollah stormed Al-Qusayr. Within the first day, the centre of the city was secured following the witnessing of the church having been destroyed by militants - Al-Qusayr has a significant Christian population. According to our source, the greatest challenge for Syrian troops and it's guerrilla allies, were Chechen militants and entrenched, well trained snipers. Underlining the logistical and strategic importance of the city, insurgents were reported to be well armed and consistently firing hundreds of rounds a minute while deploying mortars and rocket propelled grenades. During the day, 20th May, the Syrian army were reported to have control over 60% of the city. Since then, their advance has been reported as slow, but significant as the role of aircraft and armoured units became more limited, presenting infantry with the objective of fighting in a heavily built-up area. Significantly, the Syrian command left the Northern gateway out of the city wide open. Initially, this was the corridor for civilians who were urged to evacuate in the days and weeks before the assault. Little is known about the motive for such a decision, but it is highly likely that this is in order to draw adversaries into open ground to allow for accurate targeting and eventual defeat of armed militants who will have expended supplies during their encirclement. Indeed, a split between two groups emerged following the near total encirclement of the city - those who wanted to fight to the death and those who wanted to evacuate the city in anticipation of a saturating Syrian army assault on the city. As of today, the situation remains slow but steady. The various army brigades involved in the multi-directional assault on the city are converging in the south of the city, readying for an assault on the west. The battle is not over and what will become of the remaining adversaries in the northern corridor of the city remains to be seen. After the Battle of Al-QusayrA map posted by Syrian Perspective 's source, which sheds light on Syrian army strategy. As noted, Al-Qusayr's surrounding areas were subject to a build-up and eventual encirclement of Syrian troops and allies. Northwest of the city, the villages of Al-Hamidiyah and Al-Haydariya were secured - completing a chain around insurgent positions and entrenchments. It is expected that militant groups will be fully encircled, sieged and eliminated in order to secure Homs governate (province) in it's entirety. The army's strategy of securing important cities, towns and other populated centres while placing less emphasis on isolated rural positions, has paid off. It is possible that the army and it's allies will fully secure the west of the country and move west in an effort to confront Al-Qaeda and other factions which are particularly active in that region. Take note of surrounding positions of Hama city, including Talbiseh and Rastan. From predictions of Syrian army collapse to increasing victories on the groundReports of new counter-insurgency strategies in early 2013 appears to have paid off, with a clear increase in morale for Syrian troops. Reports from Damascus indicate an increasingly confident administration. More recently, Russia's transfer of advanced P-800 Oniks/Yakhonts anti-ship missiles underline Moscow's position on the conflict - one which is against foreign intervention. Yakhonts anti-ship missile with a range of up to 300 km. Syria's possession of upgraded missiles will reportedly thwart plans for a naval blockade and no-fly zone A marked re-calibration in Syrian army methodology can be traced back to the latter weeks of 2012, where reports of "opposition victories" were attributed to the overrunning and capture of insignificant, isolated Syrian army positions and installations. In fact, reports suggest that military strategists have decided against the defence of strategically unimportant outposts, in favour of an operational consolidation of manpower and equipment in order to pursue direct confrontation with militant organisations. Consideration of the Syrian army's historically based Soviet military doctrine from the years of President Hafez al-Assad and the close relationship between the Soviet Union and recently Russia is important. Russian lessons of a costly war in Chechnya and the resulting defeat of Jihadist militants groups are key to gaining more understanding of Syrian rationale in dealing with entrenched and oftentimes elusive militant groups. Additionally, the Soviet era military hardware has had many opportunities to present it's defects as well as advantages. The Syrian Air Force inventory includes aging but reliable Sukhoi combat jets. The Syrian army, ill-prepared for an asymmetrical, foreign equipped and funded militant onslaught, has proved remarkably resilient. Despite crucial military hardware being of age, the reliable nature of vehicles and aircraft coupled with well trained personnel has enabled the Syrian armed forces to turn strategy into success. Indeed, the Western media narrative has performed a stunning u-turn of army having it's days numbered, having it's back broken with defections and close to collapse. Absent from the reporting of Western media outlets, often quoting alleged experts, is accurate reports of the Syrian army's doctrinal order of battle - living up to the reputation of one of the best trained and equipped army's in the region. Worth considering also, is the army's breaking of two much reported sieges of Wadi al-Deif and Hamidiya outside Maarat al-Numan in mid-April. Airdrops to the installations were naturally discontinued, allowing greater employment of airpower to other important flashpoints. President Hafez al-Assad's emphasis on the maintenance of a well disciplined and competent military have survived. Calibrated with Russian lessons of the Chechnya conflict and Hezbollah's combat experience, effectiveness and asymmetrical tactics, the Syrian army is living up to it's reputation as a logistically and cohesive force. Source: http://syriareport.net/turning-point-battle-for-al-qusayr/ http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=6de_1369181652 flashpointreport Turning Point: Battle for Al-Qusayr al qusayr Tue, 21 May 2013 02:13:41 -0400 http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=1b8_1369116083 ACRA RIA Novosti - The Moscow Planetarium has more to offer than just galaxies projected on the dome ceiling. It also has ancient star maps and a collection of rare meteorites. But its main attraction is the night sky of the remote past and even the future. http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=1b8_1369116083 ACRA The <span class="highlight">Moscow</span> Planetarium's 9,000 Stars Russia, Moscow, Planetarium Sat, 18 May 2013 12:26:45 -0400 http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=bd4_1368894324 xmarcosx 18 May 2013 Tense scenes on Moscow airport tarmac as passengers evacuate a burning plane. http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=bd4_1368894324 xmarcosx Plane catches fire landing at <span class="highlight">Moscow</span> airport Plane, Fire, Moscow, Airport Thu, 16 May 2013 17:18:42 -0400 http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=d3d_1368738827 ACRA Watch this RIA Novosti video showing trains that have been given names on Moscow Metro Day. The seven unusual underground trains are the pride of the Moscow metro. http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=d3d_1368738827 ACRA Unique Trains of the <span class="highlight">Moscow</span> Metro Russia,Metro, Moscow, train, Mon, 20 May 2013 15:28:27 -0400 http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=450_1369077940 sascha1es Guess that's faster than the elevator :) http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=450_1369077940 sascha1es Two guys jump from 21st floor of University in <span class="highlight">Moscow</span> ( Mon, 20 May 2013 17:36:04 -0400 http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=c45_1369085178 als Incident occurred in Moscow, Russia. Minor injuries involved http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=c45_1369085178 als 2 ships collide with tourists on board crash crazy russia boats Sun, 19 May 2013 05:16:59 -0400 http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=4f7_1368953981 aydeo Sunday Times says Assad regime puts advanced surface-to-surface Tishreen missiles on standby with orders to hit Tel Aviv should Israel launch another airstrike. Uzi Rubin, Israel's leading missile expert, told the newspaper that the Tishreen missiles are "extremely accurate and can cause serious harm" - Syria has put its most advanced missiles on standby with orders to hit Tel Aviv if Israel launches another strike on its territory, The Sunday Times reported overnight Sunday. According to the British newspaper, reconnaissance satellites have been monitoring preparations by the Syrian army to deploy surface-to-surface Tishreen missiles. An Israeli official told The New York Times that Israel, which has launched three recent attacks on Syria, was considering further strikes and warned President Bashar Assad that his government would face "crippling consequences" if he hit back at Israel. The Sunday Times said the deployment of the Syrian-made Tishreen missiles, each of which can carry a half-ton payload, marks a significant escalation of tension "in a region in which the United States and Russia appear to be preparing for a Cold War-style stand-off." Uzi Rubin, Israel's leading missile expert, told the newspaper that the Tishreen missiles are "extremely accurate and can cause serious harm. "Even if they don't hit Ben-Gurion (Airport) directly, they would halt all commercial flights out of the country," he said. An Israeli official told The New York Times last week that Israel, which has reportedly launched three attacks on Syria recently and destroyed advanced anti-aircraft and surface-to-surface missiles that were designated for Hezbollah, was considering additional strikes and warned President Assad that his regime would face "crippling consequences" if he hit back at Israel. The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that Russia is continuing to arm Assad's regime and has sent a dozen or more warships to patrol waters near its naval base in Syria, a move that American and European officials have called aggressive, saying it was designed to warn the West and Israel not to intervene in the country's civil war. Also on Friday, the New York Times reported that Russia has transferred to Syria advanced anti-ship cruise missiles, which threaten Israeli Navy vessels and the Jewish states gas fields located up to 300 kilometers (186 miles) from the coast. According to the report, Russia has previously provided a version of the missiles, called Yakhonts, to Syria. But those delivered recently are outfitted with an advanced radar that makes them more effective. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow's weapons sales would "not in any way alter the balance of forces in this region or give any advantage in the fight against the opposition." http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4381218,00.html Photos: Tel-Aviv and Iron Dome in action above Tel-Aviv during Gaza long range missiles attacks in Last November http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=4f7_1368953981 aydeo Report: Syria prepared to fire missiles at Tel Aviv Assad regieme,Tishreen missiles,Tel-Aviv,Sunday Times Sat, 18 May 2013 17:39:45 -0400 http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=9ee_1368913060 FB-RAMBO The Vnukovo airport in Moscow was closed temporarily after a plane caught fire upon landing. The aircraft operated by UT air was carrying 140 people, but no injuries were reported. A TV crew travelling aboard the flight managed to capture the events as passengers were evacuated. The left landing gear leg caught fire as the flight arrived from the southern Russian city of Stavropol. Preliminary reports suggest the brake wheels were destroyed. The airport closed just before 8 am local time and reopened under two hours later once the Boeing 737 had been removed from the runway. http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=9ee_1368913060 FB-RAMBO Russian Plane Catches Fire 18-05-2013 russia airplane catches fire Fri, 17 May 2013 19:08:50 -0400 http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=0dc_1368831518 GLEISE581 Send to a Friend Print 'Expect Israeli strikes on Russian arms shipment to Syria-Hezbollah'U.S. officials tell The Wall Street Journal: Another round of Israeli airstrikes could target a new Russian transfer of Yakhont advanced anti-ship missiles in the near future o Russia moving more quickly than previously thought to deliver S-300 surface-to-air defense systems to Syria o CIA Director John Brennan in Israel to coordinate policy. Shlomo Cesana, David Baron, Daniel Siryoti and Israel Hayom staff The Guards guided-missile cruiser Varyag at sea Photo credit: Wiki Commons &lt;&lt;123&gt;&gt;U.S. officials told The Wall Street Journal on Thursday that another round of Israeli airstrikes could target a new Russian transfer of advanced anti-ship missiles in the near future. Israeli and Western intelligence services believe the Yakhont missiles, which have been sold by Russia to Syria in recent years, could be transferred to Hezbollah within days, the newspaper reported on its website Friday. At the same time, The New York Times reported Friday that the Yakhont missiles have already been delivered to Syria's armed forces. Israel has repeatedly reinforced, with words and actions, its stated red line: that it will not allow the transfer of "game-changing" weaponry to Islamic terror groups such as Hezbollah. Israel has also relayed messages that it is not seeking a confrontation with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces, but will act against transfers of weaponry through his territory. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's last-minute trip to Russia on Tuesday apparently did not change the Russians' intentions to also deliver the advanced S-300 anti-aircraft missile system to Syria. According to the Journal, U.S. officials believe that Russia is moving more quickly than previously thought to deliver S-300 surface-to-air defense systems to Syria. U.S. officials told the paper that the S-300 system, which is capable of shooting down guided missiles and could make it more risky for any warplanes to enter Syrian airspace, could leave Russia for Syrian port of Tartus by the end of May. Together, the S-300 anti-aircraft and anti-missile system, and the Yakhont anti-ship system, would pose a formidable threat to any outside intervention in Syria, based on the international Libya model. The anti-ship missiles would be a serious threat to the Israeli navy, as well as the facilities above Israel's newfound underwater gas reserves. The S-300 could threaten Israeli military and civilian aircraft flying Israeli airspace, and not just over Lebanese and Syrian airspace. The Wall Street Journal reported that Russia has sent a dozen or more warships to patrol waters near its naval base in Syria, a buildup that U.S. and European officials see as a newly aggressive stance meant partly to warn the West and Israel not to intervene in Syria's bloody civil war. Russia's expanded presence in the eastern Mediterranean, which began attracting U.S. officials' notice three months ago, represents one of its largest sustained naval deployments since the Cold War, according to the Journal. The paper reported that Russia currently has 11 ships in the eastern Mediterranean, organized into three taskforces, including destroyers, frigates, support vessels and intelligence-collecting ships. Another three-ship group of amphibious vessels is headed to the region. Russia's navy chief confirmed that warships from Russia's Pacific Fleet had entered the Mediterranean for the first time in decades, and that the taskforce might be reinforced with nuclear submarines, as the country starts building up a permanent fleet in the region. The group includes the destroyer Admiral Panteleyev, two amphibious warfare ships called Peresvet and Admiral Nevelskoi, and a tanker and a tugboat. "The taskforce has successfully passed through the Suez Canal and entered the Mediterranean. It is the first time in decades that Pacific Fleet warships have entered this region," Pacific Fleet spokesman Capt. 1st Rank Roman Martov told RIA. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov meanwhile told Lebanese TV station al-Mayadeen on Thursday that Moscow had not backed down from its contract to supply S-300 systems to Syria. "We are not signing any new contracts, but we will complete the old ones, especially with regards to aerial defense systems," Lavrov said. In what could be perceived as a message to Israel, he said, "Those that aren't planning on acting aggressively against sovereign nations should not have any reason to fear this." The unofficial response from Israeli government officials to Lavrov's statements amounted to saying that actions will be the deciding factor and not declarations. A senior government official noted that the deal between Russia and Syria had been signed in 2010 and was delayed multiple times, despite numerous Russian statements that it would be carried out. "We relayed the message . Bringing weapons to Syria destabilizes the area and carries the risk of seeing them transferred to Hezbollah," a government official said. In a sign of the growing tension in the region, CIA Director John Brennan arrived in Israel Thursday and met with the top officials in Israel's defense establishment, with a central focus on the developments in Syria. It was Brennan's first trip to Israel since assuming his position two months ago. The CIA chief went straight into a meeting in Tel Aviv with Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon, a senior Israeli official told AFP. Channel 10 TV said that Ya'alon reaffirmed during the talks that Israel "will not permit the transfer of weapons" from Syria to Hezbollah in Lebanon. According to local press reports, Brennan's visit is aimed at coordinating U.S. and Israeli positions over the escalating crisis in Syria, specifically as international diplomatic momentum between the U.S. and Russia gathers for a peaceful resolution to the crisis. According to the reports, the U.S. is concerned that Israel will act independently to strike any advanced arms shipments in Syria it believes may be headed to Hezbollah, potentially scuttling the international diplomatic maneuvering. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_J0gDkDskVlA/SwYZC-jcj6I/AAAAAAAAAs8/TExIseeX0dg/s1600/ss-n-26-yakhont-oniks-p-800.jpg http://www.jinewsnet.com/storage/s-300.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1259079686153 http://www.enduringamerica.com/storage/blog-post-images/SYRIA%20ISRAEL%20AIRSTRIKE%20---%20USED%2006-05-13.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1367826841548 http://dam.alarabiya.net/images/ed9ce218-ec1e-45b4-a5e8-fc46e7ab5708/600/338/1?x=0&amp;y=0 http://media.sbs.com.au/news/thm/articlemain/4432_israel-syria-bomb3-130505-aap.jpg http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=0dc_1368831518 GLEISE581 ISRAEL TO DESTROY NEW RUSSIAN ARMS SHIPMENTS syria assad putin russia Fri, 17 May 2013 12:09:41 -0400 http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=73e_1368805956 KedarPL By: Ali Haydar Al Akhbar Source: http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/israel%E2%80%99s-syrian-media-games In an unusual step, an Israeli official recently contacted The New York Times to issue threats that Israel is prepared to bring down the Syrian regime if Damascus retaliates against Tel Aviv's earlier military strikes. "Israel is determined to continue to prevent the transfer of advanced weapons to Hezbollah," declared a senior Israeli official, who contacted The New York Times on Wednesday, May 15. The official continued: "If Syrian President Assad reacts by attacking Israel, or tries to strike Israel through his terrorist proxies, he will risk forfeiting his regime, for Israel will retaliate." The newspaper further quoted the Israeli official as saying, "Israel has so far refrained from intervening in Syria's civil war and will maintain this policy as long as Assad refrains from attacking Israel directly or indirectly." Some linked it with the landing of two mortar shells on Mount Hermon in the occupied Golan Heights on Wednesday, while others believed that it came as a result of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's recent trip to Moscow.Mark Landler, the author ot the piece, wrote that the motives behind issuing such threats were "uncertain," noting that "Israel could be seeking to restrain Syria's behavior to avoid taking further military action, or alerting other countries to another military strike." He also suggested that there may be a secondary audience to the message, i.e. Iran and Hezbollah. The official's statement prompted much speculation in the Israeli media about its motives and timing. Some linked it with the landing of two mortar shells on Mount Hermon in the occupied Golan Heights on Wednesday, while others believed that it came as a result of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's recent trip to Moscow, which Israeli sources described as a failure. Amos Yadlin, a former Israeli military intelligence chief, told The New York Times that Russia could be one of the targeted recipients of the Israeli message, particularly given that two of the weapons that Tel Aviv has named as game changers in its confrontation with Hezbollah - the SA-17 anti-aircraft rockets and Yakhont shore-to-sea missiles - are Russian. In a different take, Amir Bohbout, a military affairs analyst from the Hebrew website Walla!, speculates that the Israeli message did not come from the security establishment, but was rather issued from political circles who intended it to be a reassuring signal to Israelis, particularly those living in the north, who felt that the military was unsure of how to respond to the mortar attacks on Mount Hermon. Bahbout suggests that Assad was inclined to retaliate after Russian President Vladimir Putin's cold reception of Netanyahu in Moscow earlier in the week, taking advantage of the opportunity to send a clear signal to Tel Aviv that Damascus does not intend to remain quiet about such aggression. The Israeli newspaper Maariv , for its part, put the official's threats in the context of conflicting views emerging in political and security circles over the Syrian crisis, with one side pushing to topple Assad - which they view as a devastating blow to Israel's most dangerous foe, Iran - and an opposing current, which is increasingly concerned about the kind of alternatives that would emerge to replace the regime in Damascus. http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=73e_1368805956 KedarPL Israel's Syrian Media Games syria,israel,idf,war,battle,missles,media,assad,arab,saa Fri, 17 May 2013 06:19:53 -0400 http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=06e_1368784555 nutsflipped Events of the Last 48 hours: - Russia's Pacific Fleet Enters The Mediterranean For First Time Since The Cold War. -CIA chief John Brennan met Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon in an emergency unplanned meeting. - USS Kearsarge, carrying 1,800 marines and a consignment of 20 V-22 Osprey helicopters, docks at the Israel's red sea port of Eilat. -Rocket and mortar attack from Syria on Israeli positions in the Golan. -Transfer of game changing weapons to Hezbollah from Syria. -Eminent defeat of Israeli and NATO backed terrorists in Homs -Buk, Pantsir and S-300 systems are now fully operational and online in Syria. - Israel tries to bribe and appease China by lending them their new US delivered F35 jet fighters On Tuesday, President Bashar Assad was quoted as saying the Golan will be the "front line of resistance" after giving radical Palestinians under his wing permission to install missiles there against Israel. Unidentified Syria military sources vowed to attack the Israeli army vehicles crossing the line to evacuate wounded terrorists in need of medical care. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Netanyahu ended their three-hour meeting in Sochi Tuesday, May 14, at loggerheads on Syria. In fact, Putin warned his guest that Israel and its army, the IDF, were heading for war with Syria in which Russia might well be involved - and not just through the advanced S-300 anti-air missiles supplied to the Assad government. The case Netanyahu and Military Intelligence chief Maj. Gen. Aviv Kochavi put before Putin and Russian foreign intelligence chief, SVR Director Mikhail Fradkov, fell on deaf ears. The Israeli prime minister countered with a warning that Israel would continue to strike advanced weapons in Syria that were destined for Hizballah. And if President Bashar Assad hit back for Israel's May 5 bombardment of weapons stores on Mount Qassioun near Damascus, Israel would intensify its bombardments of Syrian military targets and weapons until Assad was left to fight off rebel assaults empty-handed. Putin rejected this threat as implausible. Neither Putin nor Netanyahu put all their cards on the table, but the conversation ended with the Russian leader fully confident that his capabilities for safeguarding Assad were greater than Israel's ability to destroy him. In the end, Netanyahu and his party arrived home Tuesday evening with a bad feeling. They were certain that Moscow had given Assad the green light to go through with his threat to make the Syrian Golan and the Horan of southern Syria "a front for resistance" - i.e. the platforms for embarking on a war of attrition against northern Israel with the help of a flow of advanced weapons to Hizballah. The Syrian ruler is strongly encouraged to adopt this path by Tehran. Hizballah's leader Hassan Nasrallah has embraced it. And the radical Palestinian leader, Ahmed Jibril, head of the Assad-satellite Popular Front-General Command, has eagerly offered his services.And indeed, Wednesday, the day after Netanyahu's trip to Sochi, Jibril's group let loose with mortar fire on the Israeli Mt. Hermon ski site, firing from a Syrian army position. Israeli military sources confirmed later that these were no stray shells from a Syrian-army-rebel battle as in former cases, but a deliberate attack. In Jerusalem, it was taken as a direct consequence of Moscow's account to Assad of the conversation between the Russian and Israeli leaders. They concluded that Assad took it for granted that he was now at liberty to go on the offensive against Israel. Wednesday night, Netanyahu's office reacted to this deterioration with a swift and strong warning. Israeli media were informed bluntly that if the Assad chose to retaliate for Israel's air strikes, he would be removed from power. That same night, "a senior Israeli official" contacted The New York Times with a more detailed warning quoted by the paper: "If Syrian President Assad reacts by attacking Israel, or tries to strike Israel through his terrorist proxies, he will risk forfeiting his regime, for Israel will retaliate." Within hours, early Thursday morning, May 16, Jerusalem had its answer from Damascus. A Palestinian group calling itself "Martyrs of the Abdel Qader al-Husseini Brigades" (named for the commander of a Palestinian force fighting Israel in its 1948 War of Independence) claimed responsibility for the "rockets" aimed at an Israeli military observation post in the Golan Heights. They were fired in honor of Nakba Day, said the statement released in Damascus "We are not celebrating but avenging the blood of our martyrs." A video showing the launch was appended . Palestinian terrorist groups habitually use made-up names when claiming attacks, a practice often followed by al Qaeda, but this one was easily identified by Israel and taken to mean that Assad had begun using what the Israeli official referred to in The New York Times as "his terrorist proxies." Depending on the next move decided on by Prime Minister Netanyahu, Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon and Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz, this incident could mark the tipping-point of a slide towards a war confrontation against Israel by Syria, Hizballah and other Assad proxies. Russian Mig 35 stationed in Cyprus http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=06e_1368784555 nutsflipped President Putin Backs Syria's New Front to Liberate Golan, CIA Chief Makes Emergency Visit to Israel Syria,Isarel,NATO,russia,china,mig,35,f,35,golan,front,opens,WW3,world,war,three