The gradual but ongoing escalation of tension in the Middle East in general, and on Israel’s northern front with Syria and Lebanon in particular, does not delay events on the ground: On Dec. 7, it was again reported (in foreign media) that the Israeli air force allegedly attacked two targets in Syrian territory.

One was on the outskirts of Damascus, evidently in the environs of the international airport. This time, the Syrians — who usually remain silent when faced with events such as this one — officially announced that they were attacked by Israel. A Syrian official who was interviewed by the Arab-Israeli newspaper al-Sinara said that the Syrian response will arrive at a time and place chosen by Syria. Israel officially abstains from responding to these statements.

According to one of the reports, Israel attacked a convoy that was en route from Syria to the Hezbollah in Lebanon; the convoy purportedly contained advanced short-range surface-to-air missiles. Missiles of this sort could limit Israel’s absolute aerial command of the arena. This report also lacks confirmation from any other source.

At the beginning of October 2014, Hezbollah carried out a series of terror attacks against Israel in the Mount Dov sector, and Israeli sources are convinced that Hezbollah will continue adhering to the new rules of the game it adopted vis-à-vis Israel: a response to every Israeli attack, in Israeli territory, and at any price. Israeli army elements are gearing up for such a response that is likely, according to assessments, to be in the form of a terror attack near a border fence in one of the zones of friction with Israel: the Lebanon border, Mount Dov, the Golan Heights (with Syrian encouragement), etc.