Before fleeing Syria and as the rebels took control of Damascus, former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad allegedly shared crucial military intelligence with Israel to secure a safe exit for himself and his family. As reported by Turkish media, Assad reportedly surrendered intel regarding weapon depots to Israel, leading to Israeli bombings on these locations. These reports shed light on how Israel managed to acquire precise coordinates of each weapon depot and key military installations. Concerned that his aircraft might be targeted by Israeli fighter jets, Assad was determined for a secure departure from Syria. Since Assad's exit on December 8, Israel has been continuously striking Syrian military posts.
Intelligence Handed Over to Israel
According to the Turkish newspaper Hurriyet, journalist Abdul Kadir Selvi cited sources claiming Assad's transfer of confidential information on weapon depots, missile systems, and fighter jets to Israel, aimed at preventing Israeli attacks on his aircraft.
Immediately following Assad's government's downfall, Israel commenced air raids on Syrian military bases, affirming Selvi's source accuracy.
Further, Selvi exposed that he obtained additional details about Assad's departure specifically involving Israel's role, though he withheld further elaboration.
As a result, Assad fled via helicopter to Russia, where President Vladimir Putin extended asylum. This information shared with Hurriyet was reported by the UK-based tabloid, The Sun.
Efforts to Curb Extremist Forces
Israel asserts its military actions in Syria aim to prevent weapons from falling into the hands of "extremist forces." The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) remarked that Israel even targeted a weapon base in Tartus, northwest Syria.
SOHR noted the explosion's intensity was akin to a 3.0 magnitude earthquake. Moreover, Israel launched attacks using fighter jets across various Syrian regions. Meanwhile, Syria's new leader, Ahmed Al-Sharaa, has not pursued a confrontational stance against Israel.
Following his escape from Syria, Assad commented for the first time, mentioning that upon reaching the Khmeimim airbase, it became evident that their forces had withdrawn completely from all fronts, with the last standing military position having fallen.
