Syria Reportedly Mobilizing Reserves, Damascus Denies

Syria's armed forces have reportedly been put on alert and its reserves called up, according to a report in the London-based Arabic newspaper Al-Quds al-Arabi.

The reason given for the mobilization and concentration of military forces was fear of an imminent, large-scale Israeli attack against Lebanon and Syria. Hours after all the Israeli media ran reports of the Syrian troop movements, Damascus denied them. "The report...is totally false" said a member of the Syrian parliament's National Security Committee, Col. (ret.) Ahmad Munir Muhammad, told the Jerusalem-based The Media Line, according to The Jerusalem Post. "Syria is not concentrating forces and is not summoning its reserves." Mohammed did however confirm that his country does suspect Israel of gearing up to strike Syria with American support. He also told The Media Line Damascus might alter its military strategy in the event of an attack and opt to use middle-range missiles. However he insisted it would only do so to protect Syrian territory, and would not be the one to initiate an attack.