spintowin Wednesday Briefing: A Wave of Post-Assad Attacks
Israel said that it had destroyed Syria’s navy in overnight airstrikes, as it continued to pound targets in the country despite warnings that its operations there could ignite a new conflict and jeopardize the transition to an interim government.
Israeli military officials characterized the operations as defensive, saying it was striking suspected chemical weapons stockpiles to prevent them from falling “into the hands of extremists.”
Since the fall of President Bashar al-Assad on Sunday, Israeli warplanes have conducted hundreds of strikes in Syria, according to monitors, and Israeli ground forces made their first overt entry into Syrian territory in more than 50 years. The U.N. special envoy for Syria called on Israel to halt its military operations. These are the powers jockeying for influence in the area.
Even as rebels try to build a government after taking Damascus, armed groups with competing interests are still fighting for territory and power. In northern Syria, fierce fighting took place yesterday between rebels supported by Turkey and Kurdish forces backed by the U.S.
Here’s what else to know:
Syria’s transitional government: The rebel alliance forming an interim government appointed Mohammed al-Bashir as prime minister.
Prison search: A Syrian volunteer rescue group said it had finished searching for detainees at “the infamous Sednaya Prison” on the outskirts of Damascus. Thousands of people remain missing, the group said.
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