An Unintended Syria Air Clash Could Pull Biden Into Conflict Involving Russia, Israel.

An Unintended Syria Air Clash Could Pull Biden Into Conflict Involving Russia, Israel. The conflict in Syria has seen the convergence of multiple, sometimes opposing forces in the skies over a near-decade-long civil war that today threatens to draw the United States' foreign policy resources back into the quagmire, one in which its closest ally, Israel, and a leading rival, Russia, are among those operating in dangerous proximity. The sudden roar of jets and missile blasts have become an all too common feature of Syria's ongoing war, and last week's attacks across the country's southwest served as an explosive reminder of the war's lingering violence. The airstrikes, which were unclaimed but widely blamed on Israel, targeted positions near the Golan Heights and Damascus International Airport, where Israel has accused Iran-linked elements of storing and transporting weapons. While the attacks were intended to cause harm on the ground, one senior U.S. intelligence official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, raised concerns about the sheer volume of air traffic caused by Israel's semi-secret bombing campaign while the Russian and Syrian air forces carry out their own missions. The official told Newsweek that, at the time, "the U.S. observed a significant increase in military air activity over Syria, including forces from Israel and Russia in addition to Syrian aircraft." The increased traffic made a mishap more likely, the official said. "The airspace was saturated above daily norms," the official said, "presenting an elevated opportunity of miscalculation or perhaps the misidentification of targets by all entities." The U.S. operates in Syria today as part of a multinational coalition tasked with the defeat of the Islamic State militant group (ISIS) in the country's northeast. Russia and Syria also target ISIS in other parts of the country, along with other insurgent forces, some backed by Turkey. Iran supports this latter campaign on the ground, but its partnered militias are viewed as a threat and targeted by Israel. The complex lines of control are blurred, and have led to reports of up to 170 reported aviation and unmanned aerial vehicle incidents involving at least seven nations as well as non-state actors. On the ground in Syria, some worry a misunderstanding could always be mere moments away. "About the crowded airspace over Syria, it's always been a concern, notably after the U.S. stepped in Syria," a Syrian source who asked to remain anonymous told Newsweek. With so many countries operating in Syrian airspace, the chances of something going wrong are high, this source said. And then add missiles to the mix. "Now where Russia and the U.S. and Turkey and France, not to mention Israel, are all operating over/near Syria accidents are always possible," the source added, "especially when the case involves air defense missiles. Once the missile is launched, there's no turning back." There have already been a number of lethal, high-profile miscalculations, such as Syria's accidental downing of a Russian spy plane during an Israeli raid in 2018. Others, such as the U.S. shoot-down of a Syrian jet allegedly flying over territory held by the Pentagon-backed Syrian Democratic Forces the year prior, were deliberate escalations. The Israeli and Syrian armed forces have also shot down one another's warplanes. As yet, there have been no clashes between Israeli and Russian aircraft. But with an increased number of forays into Syria by Israel, such an incident cannot be ruled out. To prevent this, the two countries have a coordination mechanism on Syria, the details of which are difficult to discern, especially given Moscow's close ties to Damascus and strategic partnership with Tehran. At the same time, Russia has expressed its criticism of Israeli operations in the country.