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With a direct warning to the regime's head.. Israel targets Assad's brother's headquarters near Damascus
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It appears that Israel aims through this strike to send a final warning to Bashar al-Assad, cautioning him against involvement in the current conflict under the threat of losing his power and targetin
An Israeli drone carried out an attack with highly explosive missiles on Sunday evening, targeting a villa belonging to the Fourth Division, near the town of Yaafour in rural Damascus.
The significance of this target lies in its close association with Major General Maher al-Assad, brother of Syrian regime president Bashar al-Assad, giving the attack serious political and security dimensions.
Maher al-Assad holds the position of commander of the Fourth Division and is considered one of the most prominent figures associated with the Iranian wing in Syria and close to the Lebanese Hezbollah. This targeting is widely viewed as an explicit warning message from Israel to the Syrian regime and Bashar al-Assad personally.
Syrian activists reported that warning messages reached Maher al-Assad, stating that he would be a target for Israeli operations if the transfer of weapons to Lebanon continues. Although sources denied that Maher al-Assad was injured in the attack, the mere targeting of a headquarters associated with him carries profound implications.
Analysts view this strike as a radical shift in Israel's strategy towards Syria. Instead of merely targeting military sites and supply lines, Israel is now moving towards direct pressure on the inner circle of the Syrian regime president.
This escalation is interpreted as a final warning to Bashar al-Assad, cautioning him against involvement in the current conflict. Analyses suggest that Israel is hinting at the possibility of expanding the targeting circle to include pivotal figures in the regime, and perhaps Bashar al-Assad himself, if the regime continues to support Hezbollah and Iran.
In a related context, the Israeli army launched a raid on the Jdeidet Yabous border crossing with Lebanon, a move interpreted as an attempt to cut supply lines between Syria and Lebanon.
This dangerous development in the course of the conflict raises serious concerns about the potential expansion of the confrontation. It appears that Israel is putting the Syrian regime in front of difficult choices: either withdraw support from Hezbollah and Iran or face an existential threat that reaches the highest levels of leadership in Damascus.
The question remains: Will the Syrian regime respond to this stark warning message, or will this escalation push the region towards a broader confrontation that might threaten the stability of the Syrian regime itself?
Levant-Agencies
