Russia has had no such hesitations: despite Assad’s progressive loss of control, Moscow faithfully ships ordnance to the port of Tartus. The generous weekly flow of arms into the country is likely intended for the Hezbollah terrorist organization as much as it is for the Syrian Army they are aiding. After all, Hezbollah is a protege of Iran, where Russia has been assisting with the construction of nuclear reactors for years.
This process has also furthered the presence of the elite Iranian Revolutionary Guards, who were sent initially as advisers and consultants. They soon became commanders, and eventually a controlling force. In fact, IRG soldiers were photographed lounging around near Lebanon’s border with Israel in October, according to the Middle East Media Research Institute. The photographs of the Guards were uploaded to a Twitter account linked with the force, and had been published a week and a half earlier on an Iranian military website, according to the MEMRI report. The photos proclaimed in a headline, “Islamic Republic soldiers are on the border of Occupied Palestine!”
These forces have built a strong bond with Gaza’s ruling Hamas terrorist organization on Israel’s southern border and are now trying to create an iron-fisted axis with which to strike Israel in a multi-front war.
The possible buffer in the Golan Heights results from positive relations that Israel has established via medical treatment with moderate rebel forces in the Golan Heights regions. Along the Lebanese border Israel is building an underground security barrier to block terror tunneling attempts by Hezbollah. The lessons learned from the IDF 2014 Operation Protective Edge against Hamas in Gaza were hard-won, but they were thorough.
In the south along the Sinai border, Israel’s good fortune lies with Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who has no love for the Muslim Brotherhood, which he outlawed, and its terror-child, Hamas, which he sees as destroying Egypt’s economy. Sisi is also committed to ridding the Sinai Peninsula of the anti-government terrorist nests that have taken root there but whether he will succeed remains to be seen. A river of Egyptian blood has already washed the sands of the Sinai; both Al Qaeda and ISIS have planted bases there in addition to Hezbollah, Hamas and local affiliates.
In Gaza, it is estimated Hamas has purchased concrete from some 80,000 homeowners who received the building materials from international donors who believed they would use them to rebuild their own homes. And so Hamas is indeed “rebuilding” Gaza – underground Gaza, that is – its intricate honeycomb network of terror tunnels used for attacking, murdering and kidnapping Israelis. Of course, some of the tunnels are also used for smuggling supplies as well: weapons, building supplies with which to build more tunnels, explosives, military equipment, etc. A few of the tunnels are also used to bolster the Gaza economy with luxury items as well.
None are used to build subways, transportation infrastructure, sewage systems or anything that might further develop the quality of life for Gazans.
Clearly, Gazans don’t mind; if they did, they wouldn’t have sold their concrete to Hamas – they would have used it to repair their homes.
When or how the conflict will come is not clear, and Israel’s military intelligence cannot and will not simply roll the dice for an answer.
Sadly, only one thing is certain: it will come. When it does, the IDF will be ready.