It was a bit of an eventful weekendโsurprise, surpriseโin Syria once again. If you thought Israel was through with destroying Bashar al-Assad’s military assets, preventing them from falling into the hands of Islamic jihadists who have overrun the country… think again. Before I detail the latest Israeli strike, which caused an explosion so enormous that it registered on the Richter scale, let me set the scene.
In the past week, Israel has carried out over 300 air strikes in Syria, taking out everything from chemical weapon stockpiles to Syria’s Air Force and Naval Fleet.
Many may argue that Syria’s military wasn’t much to begin with, being filled with outdated equipment. They would be right. However, that does not mean that these weapons, equipment, and fighter jets did not have the capability to hurt not only Israel but the people of Syria. There is always the possibility that the jihadis would use those fighter jets to target their own people. Perhaps the Christians, Kurds, Druze, and the more moderate Muslims in that country would have been in the jihadis’ crosshairs.
Israel did Syria a favor, it did itself a favor, and it did the world a favor by destroying approximately 80% of Syria’s military machine that was built up over decades by Bashar al-Assad with help from Iran, Russia, and others.
On December 7th, when the jihadis overran Damascus, it was a whole new day in Syriaโfor better or for worse. Bashar al-Assad fled Syria to Russia, where he’s now living in exile and has been granted Asylum. That is when the IDF began wisely, preemptively, and swiftly hammering the Syrian military arsenal, including missile stockpiles of the Iranian regime.
On Saturday, Mohammed al-Jolani, the head of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which is the main Jihadi group that’s taken over in Syria, said to Israel that now there are “no more excuses to carry out airstrikes in Syria.”
Al-Jolani privately is none too pleased that that arsenal has been eliminated. I’m sure he would have loved to have had his claws on it and used it to advance his Jihadi cause, not only to try to conquer all of Syria but perhaps cross the border, flooding into Lebanon, Iraq, or beyond. He has a lot less weaponry with which he can do that now, thanks to Israel.
Israel is treating it this way: Assad was the devil we did know, and the jihadis are the devil we don’t know. Before Israel has an ISIS-style caliphate take root in Syria, it’s probably not a good idea for the jihadis to get their hands on chemical weapons and a fleet of fighter jets.
‘Earthquake Bomb’
Despite al-Jolani’s threat on Saturday, Israel continued on Sunday with a massive barrage against targets in Syria near the Mediterranean coast. Israel used what is being called by major media outlets globally an “earthquake bomb.” Whether its first use by Israel was on Sunday or possibly previously in Beirut, this was at least the first public unveiling. It registered on the Richter scale and caused a significant mushroom cloudโthat’s how massive this “earthquake bomb” was.
These were the heaviest air strikes carried out in the region in 12 Years. 2012 was the last time we saw explosions this large in scope. That’s saying something.
NDTV in their report, “Impact Of Israel’s Heaviest Bomb Strikes In Syria Registered On Richter Scale,” detailed:
Continuing its heavy strikes in Syria after the fall of the Assad regime, Israel on Sunday (Dec 15), carried out its most violent attack since 2012 in the region, as per a report by theย Syrian Observatory for Human Rightsย (SOHR). A video going viral on social media showed an Israeli bomb going off inย northwestern Syria near the city of Tartus, leading to a supposed giant mushroom cloud fireball. The explosion was so powerful that it was measured as a 3.1 magnitude earthquake on the seismic sensor, according toย a war monitor group, cited by various media reports.
A report inย The Times of Israelย stated that several Hebrew media channels were attributing the bomb strikes to Tel Aviv. “A 3.1 magnitude temblor is reported by the Geographic Survey of Israel’s seismology department at 11:49 p.m. last night, with its epicentre about 28 kilometres (17 miles) off the coast of the city of Banias,” the report highlighted.ย
The report continued with this astonishing information:
US-based researcher Richard Cordaro said the signal of the earthquake triggered by the bomb, travelled 2x fast when compared to an ordinary earthquake. “The explosion of the ammunition depot at Tartus, Syria was detected at Iznik, [Turkey] magnetometer station 820 km away. Signal took 12 minutes to travel in the lower ionosphere. That’s about twice as fast as earthquake signals travel.”
As per SOHR, the Israeli planes launched intense strikes in the coastal region to target air defence units, “surface-to-surface missile depots” and other sites.
“Israeli fighter jets targeted the missile launchers in the 107th Barracks in Hama area and weapon depots in Tartus countryside. However, no casualties were reported,” read the report.
“These are considered the most violent strikes in the area of the Syrian coast since the start of the airstrikes in 2012,” it added.
A Message To Iran?
Let’s look at the big picture. Is this messaging by Israel, with the recipient being the Iranian regime? We saw it in Beirut. We saw it in Yemen over the past few months. Is this Israel assuring the Iranian regime of their ability to destroy its nuclear weapons program?
Iran may feel at ease with its nuclear weapons facilities scattered throughout the country, fortified deep underground. But Israel may have just demonstrated to Iran with this “earthquake bomb” that they have the capabilities to pull it off.
Donald Trump takes office in 35 days. He may very well sell Israel US bunker busters. The ayatollahs appear to be being put on notice to give up their nuclear program now… or else.
I think the region is watching and taking note of what Israel is doing. Look at Syria, Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and the Iranian regimeโall of which have been extensively crippled by the Jewish State.
Responding To Evil
Nevertheless, evil is arrogant. We saw that on October 7th and 8th of 2023, with Hamas and Hezbollah waging their unilateral, without provocation, attack on Israel. These attacks were their crowning glory, their greatest achievement. In their arrogance, they thought Israel wouldn’t dare hit them back in a meaningful way. Iran thought the same when they launched hundreds of ballistic missiles toward the State of Israel. Despite the Biden Administration tying Israel’s hands, the Jewish State responded overwhelmingly in these cases, and none of these terrorists proved untouchable in their hideouts. Evil is arrogant.
Evil is relentless because it’s demonically driven to destroy Israel. They never learn their lesson. They’re so blinded by demonic hatred, rage, obsession, and possession that they’re going to keep trying. They will keep coming until you utterly crush themโno half-measures. Just as God told the ancient Israelites to utterly destroy and remove from the land the wicked pagans who were practicing child sacrifice. Evil needs to be crushed decisively because it is relentless.
Evil is also really stupid. How else could you describe Hamas continuing to hold on to the hostages? How else do you describe October 7th? This was not a strategic move; they simply signed their own death warrants and set off a chain reaction. It’s reminiscent of Haman being hung on the gallows he meant for Mordecai. What they meant for evilโand it was evilโGod, as only He can, is turning it by working through the IDF for the good of the region.
Out of the horrific ashes of October 7th, a new Middle East is shaping up. Hamas is largely destroyed. Hezbollah has been smashed to a point where 70% of its capabilities are wiped out. Assad is gone. Iran has lost its crucial route through Syria to resupply Hezbollah. Iran’s air defense is destroyed.
There are many who argue that Israel would not be able to pull off, at least by itself, the complete elimination of Iran’s nuclear program. I wouldn’t be so sure of that. Israel has carried out some of the most ingenious, inventive, unpredictable, and unbelievable operations through military and intelligence of the past century. I wouldn’t doubt the IDF, and I certainly wouldn’t doubt the God of Israel who goes ahead of the IDF.
