 Hello and welcome to Newsflakes International Roundup. In today's episode, we're going to discuss the recent developments in and around the Syrian conflict. So firstly, we're going to look at the three airstrikes, the three strikes performed by Israel in three different countries, one of which was of a Hezbollah camp in south of Damascus. And we're also going to see the recent advances made by the Syrian government forces in Idlib, which is one of the last rebel strongholds in the country. So probably starting with the Israeli airstrikes, which we're seeing that Israel has struck a Hezbollah camp south of Damascus. It has also struck Hezbollah media center in Beirut and weapons depot in Iraq. So in response to this, both Iran and Hezbollah have promised retaliation that they are going to respond to these attacks. So what do you think is going to happen in this situation? I think Israel is stepping up the escalation and there are two reasons for it. One is, of course, it wants to draw Iran into a war in the region, hoping that the United States would then step in and finish what it has always wanted to do, which is trying to destroy the Iranian forces. So this is, of course, a longstanding project of Israel, provoke and hope Iran retaliates and then United States steps in. So this is one part of the axis. The second is, of course, elections in now taking place at the moment in Israel. And Netanyahu, as you know, is a beleaguered prime minister. He's not sure that he's going to win the election. And therefore any military warlike postures he can do is going to help him perhaps in the election because we all know a short war helps an incumbent. And that seems to be his game. But how much can he take the escalation to without really having a war which can also have repercussions for Israel? So at the moment, it seems he has broken two separate, Israel seems to have broken two separate compacts. They've attacked camps, actually war depots inside Iraq. There are a number of strikes, not one. They seem to have done a number of strikes over the last 15, 20 days. And even the United States doesn't seem to be too happy about it because they leaked the fact that Israel was doing the strikes to the York types. So it seems that that's really what did happen, that there have been Israeli strikes in what they call as Iranian forces. But essentially there are forces allied to the Iraqi government, paramilitary forces in alliance with the Iraqi government, which have been fighting the Islamic, shall I say, Islamists, the ISIS, al-Qaeda equivalent forces in Iraq. So that's not something Iraq is happy about. The second part of it is they have attacked what they're again calling Iran, Hezbollah, concentrations, camps, preemptive strike against possible Hezbollah attack, a possible drone attack. We know that it is not true that Syria has allowed its territory to be used against strikes against Israel. So this story that this is a preemptive strike, of course, is something that Israel always pedals when it wants to take provocative action, wants to take military action. And this is a story we have heard so many times that it is losing credibility if it hasn't completely lost credibility. So essentially they have attacked what would be called forces which are helping the Syrian government at this point against the ISIS, against al-Qaeda forces. And this is therefore an attempt to send a signal to both the electorate and to Syria that we are still king of the pops, that we control this region. And that is something finally seems to have annoyed Hezbollah to the extent they have said from tonight Israel will not sleep in peace. Now what it means, what Hezbollah will do, we do not know. But it is true that a compact that Hezbollah will not suffer casualties which seem to have been there with Israel. That has been broken, Hezbollah fighters have died in Syria. And the fact that Hezbollah's video center seems to have been attacked by drone is obviously something which will be considered highly provocative by Hezbollah. So I think we are likely to see some limited action right now. The problem with all of this, this is something we have been saying again and again in the international roundups, what the Israelis, what the United States is doing is provoking Iran and these forces continuously in the hope that they actually retaliating against Israel and then United States will come in the big way. And this provocation is something Iranian forces Hezbollah has actually not fallen into their trap. But if they keep on the pressure like this, can they stop from any retaliation? That's a big question. And if any retaliation takes place, will it stop or will it go up the escalatory ladder to a final exchange? We do not know. Russians are involved, Iranians are involved. So anything in Syria can spin out of control. Anything in Lebanon can also spin out of control. So this is really entering a very dangerous territory. And moving on to Idlib, can you comment on the situation there now that Syrian government forces have taken control over the M5 highway, which is crucial to the supply of resources into the region? Well, if we look at the area over there, you will see that they really haven't taken control over the M5 highway. They have taken partial control over part of the highway. If you look at it, they have taken control of the highway now from Hama to Khan Sheikhul, which is only a part of it. It connects to Aleppo further and that stretch is still under the control of, shall we say, the forces which are either al-Qaeda or a light to al-Qaeda. Al-Qaeda light as they are being termed. So this is the forces. Now, the Idlib area was supposed to be something which Turkey was to sort out. There was a debilitarized zone which was created at that point around the territory controlled by what you are calling the rebels, which are basically the al-Qaeda kind of forces. And the understanding was that this Czech post that Turkey will maintain, that will keep the Syrian forces out and they would solve the problem of Idlib. Now, they haven't done so. Idlib still continues to be in the hands, which are essentially, as we know, hands which are really different kinds of Islamist forces, which have been extremely inimical to any of the minority communities, as well as extremely hostile to any civil formations working over there. So it's a question of time how much will Syria allow this part of the territory of Idlib to be under essentially Turkish control in alliance with the rebel forces. So that stalemate, there have been enough warnings given. The Astana Accord said Turkey would solve this problem. Turkey has not. Therefore, Russians have also supported with their air force, the moves that the Syrian forces have made against the rebel forces in this part of the area. If you see Khan Shahi Khan was a very important town because that's where a supposed chemical attack took place. If you remember Khan Shahi Khan is a place where the United Nations arm, which looks at chemical weapons, did investigate and initially said there is a reason to believe there is a chemical attack. But a later document came, which shows the technical committee, which investigated, thought that these are chlorine cylinders, which is supposed to be the culprits replaced manually. So the huge question mark about the white helmet staged chemical attack. Was it staged by white helmets? Was there a real chemical attack which had casualties? It's very much open to question. We have raised issues here also that this seems to be a manufactured incident. And therefore, it is one of the places which has a history. So that has now been cleared for forces have moved in. It's a classic tactics they have been adopting. Move in, create a pincer attack, create what the Russians call a cauldron, then squeeze it. And allow the forces, the rebel forces or the contending forces to escape. So don't crush them because that avoids casualties and then take over. So they have done it, the Turkish check post are now behind the Syrian lines. So this is a completely new situation arising. It looks like from Latakia that you are also moving in towards what I call the Al-Gaab planes. And they will also then be talking about the M4 highway. So all of this now is looking like Iblip is moving towards a resolution. The Russia is no longer supporting Turkey's or doesn't have confidence in Turkey's ability to handle this issue. Or it's good faith in handling this issue. And Turkey at the same time has started talking to United States about its border with the Kurdish areas, what is called the SDF, which was really under Kurdish leadership, which is the east side. If you look at it, if you take the Euphrates River, it's on the other side of the Euphrates River. So that entire belt, which is under Kurdish control, Turkey wants the Nord, the Norden border of Syria to be handed over to Turkey. And the United States was negotiating with Turkey with this and Turkey, therefore, it appeared, was not doing what it is supposed to do, good faith negotiations on Syria. So I think one of the responses therefore Russia is okay. If we do this, let's solve the problem of Idlib, which we haven't solved anyway. And it does appear now, the SDF forces are very unhappy with this American tutelage, American attempt to solve the problem in this particular way. And they have asked the Syrian government, which they haven't for quite some time, to actually talk to them, and then see how they can resolve this issue within what the Syrian government has always said, autonomy, but not independence. And whether they are willing to accept this and will we see a new realignment taking place. So the Syrian situation seems to be breaking up in different ways. Turkey, United States, Russia is one axis. What happens? You can see that there could be a change in the alignments over there. Turkey has still now played ball with Russia. Will it go back to playing ball with America, United States in the southern borders? Will they actually not do that finally because they burned the bridges in the United States? Will they actually play ball still on the Idlib front? These are question marks. On the other side, we have the huge question mark, Israel, Lebanon, Hezbollah, Iran. And there is, of course, the United States on Israel side, the Russia on Syrian Iranian side in this particular theater. So this is really making it very, very complex at the moment. And we have Iraq was supposedly nominally the US ally who's been attacked in their own territory by Israel, who are also extremely unhappy with this. So I think we are seeing some changes. Will it lead to a new realignment or will it stabilize after some time? And these are only attempts, shall we say, some push and some pulls that are being inserted. But one thing is very sure, Idlib situation is likely to change. That part is very, that is, I think, very sure whether we will have a certain orbit in the region, a temp limited orbit in Hezbollah and Israel that we have to see. So thank you for joining us today. And that's all the time we have. Thank you for watching news clip.