Iranian mainstream media outlets today raise the alarm at what they see as Israel’s push into Syrian territory. Front page pictures show scenes of destruction meted out by Israeli air strikes against Syrian military targets.
State TV’s rolling news channel IRINN says Israel wants to see Syria partitioned along ethnic and religious lines. The TV criticises ruling rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) for not addressing the Israeli invasion and the fact that “no bullet has been fired to defend Syrian soil”.
Echoing this, ultraconservative daily newspaper Keyhan says the US and Israel are “destroying Syria while Tahrir al-Sham terrorists are watching!”.
Keyhan’s editorial talks of “the beginning of Shia genocide”, saying “terrorists are creating fear and carrying out assassinations on the streets”.
The daily Vatan-e Emrouz asks how the armed groups now in power “will respond to the Israeli aggression”? Several papers warn that Israeli forces are close to Damascus.
Government-run daily Iran interprets Israel’s moves as an aggressive expansionist attempt to exploit Syria’s internal crisis while pursuing a long-term strategy of regional dominance.
In a separate commentary, the Iran newspaper says Tehran can regain influence in Syria by adjusting its foreign policy strategy. It suggests fostering ties with influential Islamic factions and emphasising Syria’s territorial integrity.
Israel, which borders Syria, says it has sent troops into the UN-patrolled buffer zone east of the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights.
Source: Arman Sharifi, BBC