Khamenei pressed Hizbullah in emergency meeting to do ‘whatever it takes’ in Syria

Khamenei pressed Hizbullah in emergency meeting to do ‘whatever it takes’ in Syria

Special to WorldTribune.com ABU DHABI — Iran has pressed its main proxy for full combat troop deployment in Syria, a newspaper said. Kuwait’s Al Rai Al Aam reported that Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei convened an urgent meeting with Hizbullah secretary-general Hassan Nasrallah in Teheran. Al Rai said Khamenei pressed Nasrallah in April to be […]

Did Syria cross the ‘red line’? Obama administration says yes, then maybe

Did Syria cross the ‘red line’? Obama administration says yes, then maybe

Special to WorldTribune.com WASHINGTON — The United States, despite an acknowledgement of President Bashar Assad’s use of chemical weapons, continues to rule out military intervention in Syria. The administration of President Barack Obama has confirmed evidence that Assad’s military fired CW munitions toward Sunni rebel strongholds. But officials said the determination lacked details that could […]

U.S. intel: Assad’s days are numbered, ‘we just don’t know the number’

U.S. intel: Assad’s days are numbered, ‘we just don’t know the number’

Special to WorldTribune.com WASHINGTON — The U.S. intelligence community has determined that Syria’s military was declining. [See also: Syria’s future: Israel favors fragmentation while Saudis want reliable counter to Iran] The intelligence community assessed that the regime of President Bashar Assad was losing military and security assets amid the Sunni revolt. The community also determined […]

Rebels: Hizbullah training thousands in Bekaa Valley to turn tide in Syrian war

Rebels: Hizbullah training thousands in Bekaa Valley to turn tide in Syrian war

Special to WorldTribune.com NICOSIA — Sunni rebels have asserted that the Iranian-sponsored Hizbullah was organizing another major military expedition in Syria. The Free Syrian Army said Hizbullah was training thousands of fighters to quell the two-year revolt against the regime of President Bashar Assad. FSA said Hizbullah intends to deploy another 5,000 troops to the […]

Intel: Syria firing advanced Iran missiles in ‘game-changer’

Intel: Syria firing advanced Iran missiles in ‘game-changer’

Special to WorldTribune.com NICOSIA — The Syrian military has begun firing newly-acquired Iranian missiles toward Sunni rebel targets. Western intelligence sources said the Syrian military has been firing advanced Iranian surface-to-surface missiles toward rebel strongholds in central and northern Syria. The sources said the short-range missiles were far more accurate than Syria’s huge arsenal of […]

Syria’s regular Army nears the breaking point

Syria’s regular Army nears the breaking point

Special to WorldTribune.com By Brian M. Downing, FreePressers.com Recent fighting in Damascus and Aleppo has differed markedly from that of only a couple of months ago when the regular army swiftly defeated rebel enclaves in Homs, Idlib, and Deraa. Fighting in Damascus has persisted for several weeks now and while it trails off at times, […]

Sunnis said to blame Assad regime for atrocities they committed

Sunnis said to blame Assad regime for atrocities they committed

Special to WorldTribune.com LONDON — Sunni rebels were said to have concealed atrocities against Alawite civilians. European sources, including those in Syria, said Sunni rebels were increasingly targeting Alawite and Shi’ite civilians in eastern and central Syria. They said the rebels then claimed that Sunnis had been massacred by forces of the regime of Syrian […]

Syrian opposition reports Assad regime using gas bombs against Sunnis

Syrian opposition reports Assad regime using gas bombs against Sunnis

Special to WorldTribune.com ABU DHABI — For the first time, Syrians have asserted that President Bashar Assad was using gas bombs in attacks on Sunni rebels. The Syrian opposition said Assad forces bombed several Sunni cities with shells that contained an unknown chemical agent. The opposition said Sunni civilians suffocated or underwent nausea from the […]

Syrian rebels terrorizing Assad troops with nightly attacks

Syrian rebels terrorizing Assad troops with nightly attacks

Special to WorldTribune.com NICOSIA — Sunni rebels have expanded operations against the regime of President Bashar Assad after a lull in operations. Opposition and diplomatic sources said Sunni rebels were organizing attacks on Assad’s military and security forces throughout Syria. Opposition sources said Sunni rebels were attacking Assad forces on a nightly basis around Homs […]