Dr. Reuven Erlich - Director, Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center:
• Syria, along with its ally Iran, is consistently supports Hezbollah and the Palestinian terrorist organizations to attain a variety of strategic goals: strengthening the radical Iranian-Syrian axis in the Middle East; weakening Israel by tearing apart its social fabric and damaging its economy; strengthening Syria's influence in Lebanon; strengthening the radical Islamic forces in the Palestinian Authority; sabotaging agreements and arrangements in Lebanon and the PA which are incompatible with Syrian and Iranian interests. In addition, the Syrian leadership regards the weapon of terrorism as a tool to lever its way out of the international pressures exerted on Bashad Assad's régime and the renewed initiative of Israeli-Syrian negotiations regarding the Golan Heights.• Part of Syrian strategy includes providing Hezbollah and Hamas with military, political and propaganda support and aiding them in the current confrontations. Syria (and Iran ) can also expected to rehabilitate the terrorist organizations' operational capabilities once the current battles have ended. The Palestinian and Lebanese terrorist organizations Israel is fighting are clearly Syrian and Iranian proxies, systematically built up over a period of years in Lebanon and the PA.
• Syria and Iran have been characteristically careful not to involve themselves directly in Israel's current confrontations with Hezbollah and Hamas. However, behind the scenes, they are attempting to influence the outcome through any and all means of pressure they have at their disposal. Thus in our assessment, Syria can be expected to exploit its position to influence the diplomatic agreements reached at the end of the fighting . At the same time, as in the past it will not hesitate to exploit its ability to hamper and even sabotage agreements which it views as contrary to its own interests in the Lebanese, Palestinian or Arab arenas and in the ongoing conflict with Israel.
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The report (above) features this footage of IAF strikes on shipments of weapons as they cross into Lebanon from Syria: