Thread by @RJBrodsky

Just to state the obvious: This is largest confrontation between #Israel and #Syria since 1973; the first time #Iran and the IRGC themselves launched missiles at #Israel. Expect even more.

With all the targeting in Damascus #Syria, expect #Israel to go after the main IRGC headquarters near the Damascus Airport. Around 1,000 IRGC tend to be stationed there, along with senior leadership.

Suggestion: If you thought what the US did in response to the April CW attack in #Syria was strong, fasten your seat belts.

I'm looking forward to tomorrow morning when everyone on Twitter becomes a #Syria, #Iran, #Israel and #Hezbollah specialist.

It is also very rare to have #Israel publicly claim responsibility for such a wide-ranging operation as they are now.

The al-Kisweh camp a few miles south of Damascus, which #Israel bombed in November 2017 was also hit tonight. It is reportedly responsible for the supervision of operations close to the Israeli border.

#Iran and its proxies hold at least 12 positions between #Damascus, #Deraa, and #Israel border. Expect them to be hit. Previous reports indicate Iran has separated Syria into 5 divisions and has more than 13 military bases throughout the country, aside from Syrian air bases.

As far as #Iran presence in #Syria air bases: They included T-4 (Tiyas) Air Base in Homs province; Damascus International Airport and Sayqal Air Base in Damascus province; Deir ez-Zor Air Base in eastern Syria; and Aleppo Airport. Curious how far east & north #Israel will strike

One question is what kind of back up, if any, is the US giving Israel operationally right now?

That we haven't heard of major Israeli reserve call ups (yet) would indicate an imminent ground op is likely not in the offing.

And yet every few minutes of so, I can't help tuning back in to CNN to see what's up with Stormy Daniels the porn actress and her lawyer who lives in TV studios...... NOT! #News?

If this is your first time tuning into the Syrian war, this is not the typical distribution of strikes in #Syria. The blue represents action from #Israel.

Reports from #Syria indicate a radar site was taken out by #Israel. That its being reported is odd. It could mean that they took out the rumored S-300 in #Damascus, if so it was operated by Syrians, not Russians I'm guessing. Or, not.

If you're keeping score at home, a few tweets earlier in the thread I listed the 5 Syrian air bases where the IRGC has a large presence. #Israel released this info a few weeks ago to the press. Here's another reason those bases are important:

Each of the 5 bases serve as key logistical hubs able to receive Russian-made Ilyushin IL-76 model military transport planes, which are capable of carrying missiles, drones, and other weapons. These are major logistical nodes if flying into #Syria from #Iran.

They also host units of the #IRGC Aerospace Force (IRGC-AF), which serves as Qassem Soleimani’s contractor in place of the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force or the Tizparvazan branch of the Artesh. Gen. Amir Ali Haji Zada heads its operations against #Israel.

IRGC-AF has 3 active components at the bases: 1) UAV operations designed both for intelligence-gathering & air assaults. 2) works with short & medium range surface-to-surface missiles such as the Fajr-5 (75 km) and Shahab ballistic missiles (1,300 km) putting Israel within range.

3) The third IRGC-AF unit is headed by Ali Akbar Sidon and tasked with aerial defense and the detection of other aircraft. These three units are critical to securing #Iran’s position in #Syria and have already been employed to attack #Israel.

The top echelon of Iran’s security establishment are known to be housed at the main IRGC base near Damascus

They include #IRGC Brig. Gen. Ismail Qaani (deputy of Qods Force commander Qassem Soleimani), IRGC Brig. Gen. Mohammad Ja’afar Assadi (commander of Iranian forces in Syria), and IRGC Brig. Gen. Seyyed Razi Mousavi (commander of IRGC Qods Force logistics in Syria)

If #Israel gave out decks of cards, their names and faces would likely be on them.

Reports of strikes near al-Qusayr. Open-sources report Assad set up an underground uranium enrichment facility under #Iran and #NorthKorean supervision near there in the Qalamoun Mountains on the Syrian-Lebanese border, reportedly guarded by a special group of Hezbollah fighters

FInd that info here: spiegel.de/international/… & alquds.co.uk/?p=903251

IDF released a map showing 35 targets in #Syria that #Israel hit including a range of Syrian air defense systems and IRGC positions. Channel 10 reports 50 sites were hit. It’s rather extensive.