U.S. Claims It Averted Syrian Chemical Attack

The U.S. said Wednesday that a warning it issued to the Syrian government this week seems to have averted a Syrian chemical weapons attack, Reuters reported.

U.S. defense secretary Jim Mattis said that the fact a chemical weapons attack has not taken place was evidence that President Bashar al-Assad’s government had heeded Washington’s warning.

“It appears that they took the warning seriously,” Mattis said. “They didn’t do it.”

Asked whether he believed Assad’s forces had called off any such strike completely, Mattis said, “I think you better ask Assad about that.”

Earlier on Monday, the U.S. accused the Syrian government of preparing for a chemical weapons attack and said that the Syrian government would “pay a heavy price” if one took place.

The intelligence that prompted the warning consisted of a Syrian warplane being observed moving into a hangar at the government-run Shayrat air base, where U.S. and allied intelligence agencies suspect the Assad government is hiding chemical weapons.

Airstrike in East Syria Kills 30

At least 30 people were killed Wednesday in an airstrike on a village held by the so-called Islamic State in eastern Syria, the U.K.-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported.

The attack targeted the al-Dablan area, located 13 miles (20km) southeast of the ISIS-stronghold of al-Mayadeen, in the eastern Deir Ezzor countryside.

The origins of the warplane that carried out the strike are not known. The U.S., Russia and Syria are all known to carry out airstrikes on the area.

On Monday, an airstrike believed to have been carried out by the U.S.-led coalition targeted an ISIS-run prison in al-Mayadeen, killing at least 57 people.

ISIS is believed to have moved most of its leadership to al-Mayadeen in Syria’s Euphrates Valley, southeast of the group’s besieged capital Raqqa, according to U.S. intelligence officials.

Israel Attacks Syrian Government in Quneitra

Israel said it attacked a Syrian army position in Syria’s southern Quneitra region Wednesday after an errant shell landed inside the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, Reuters reported.

The Israeli military said it targeted a Syrian army position in the village of Samadanieh al-Sharqiyah that was allegedly used to launch a mortar that hit an open area in the northern Golan Heights.

The errant mortar fell as Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu was visiting a town located about 12.5 miles (20km) from the area.

“While I was speaking, I said here that we will not tolerate errant shooting and we will respond to all firing. During my speech, there was errant fire from the Syrian side that landed in our territory and the army has already attacked,” Netanyahu said.

“Whoever attacks us, we attack them. This is our policy and we will continue to implement it,” he added.

Wednesday’s attack marks the third time in less than a week that Israel has attacked the Syrian army after errant shells have landed in its territory.

Recommended Reads:

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• Middle East Eye: How the Gulf Crisis Could Spill Over Into Rebel Rivalry in Syria
• The Independent: The Real Target of Donald Trump’s Threats Towards Syria Is Not Bashar al-Assad, but Iran
• The New Yorker: Trump Doubles Down in Syria’s Intensifying Proxy War
• The Financial Times: Iraq and Syria Face Further Instability as Isis Influence Wanes