IDF confident that its offensive capabilities will deter Assad

The Syrian dictator is well aware of the IDF’s capabilities, which is why defense officials are quite confident he will not commence hostilities against Israel; doing so would likely sign his regime’s death certificate.

By YAAKOV LAPPIN
IDF soldier patrol 390 (photo credit: REUTER/Baz Ratner)
IDF soldier patrol 390
(photo credit: REUTER/Baz Ratner)
The IDF is not an organization that likes taking unnecessary risks.
So despite concluding that the chances of a Syrian attack on Israel are low, it nevertheless chose to prepare itself for the low probability that its assessment could be wrong.
The military cautiously deployed air defenses around the country on Wednesday and called up limited numbers of reserves to key military branches needed to contain the Syrian threat, in light of the imminent US strike on the Assad regime.
Some members of the public misinterpreted the moves as a guaranteed sign of trouble approaching, but in fact, they are basic defensive measures.
It is not the IDF’s defenses that are meant to keep Israelis safe, but rather, the military’s immense offensive capabilities, which have grown considerably in recent years and which collectively constitute effective Israeli deterrence. It is that deterrence that usually dissuades (in varying degrees) Israel’s enemies, like Hezbollah, Hamas and Syria, from attacking it.
Thanks to technological enhancements and upgrades in weapons systems and military platforms in the air, land and sea, the IDF can strike a dizzying number of targets simultaneously.
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With Military Intelligence keeping more eyes and ears open to enemy activity than ever before, the combination of Israel’s firepower and accurate intelligence would spell very bad news for the Assad regime, should it choose to target Israel in response to an attack on Syria by the United States.
None of these factors are state secrets; in fact, the Syrian dictator is well aware of the IDF’s capabilities, which is why defense officials are quite confident he will not commence hostilities against Israel; doing so would likely sign his regime’s death certificate.
In light of the above, the army’s advice to the general public remains consistent and simple: Keep calm and carry on.