Syria Snap Analysis: What Did Israel Bomb, and Why?

One of the explosions on Mt. Qasioun, north of Damascus.

Early on Sunday morning, huge explosions rocked northern Damascus.

Scientists said that the explosions measured between two and three on the Richter scale, a scale designed to measure earthquakes. Giant balls of fire rose above Mt. Qasioun, a mountain that overlooks the capital and is at the center of Syria's largest military complex. The very symbol of Assad's control over Damascus was on fire.

The question remains, however, as to whether destabilizing Assad was the ultimate goal of this airstrike. At the very least, Israel has proven that it is willing to pick a side and go all in if it feels threatened.

This incident should also permanently put to rest the debate as to whether Assad's air defense is capable of standing up to external threats. Assad is completely vulnerable, and has been dealt a serious blow. As a result, Israel may have completely changed the debate about foreign intervention in a single instant, and may have catalyzed an international drive to remove Bashar al-Assad from power.

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Syria Exclusive: Definitive Evidence of Regime Airstrikes on Aleppo University

Video of the airstrike at Aleppo University on January 15th.

On Wednesday, we posted an article, Syria Exclusive: Proving the Assad Jet Fighter's Attack on Aleppo University, where we compiled evidence that a regime airstrike was responsible for the 15 January attack that left more than 80 students dead.

Today we have received new information which --- when added to our audio and video evidence, eyewitness testimony, and expert analysis --- definitively establishes that a fighter jet was responsible for this attack. Evidence also suggests that a missile, not a bomb, was used.

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There is now conclusive evidence that the explosions at Aleppo University were caused by an airstrike, not a ballistic missile strike and certainly not a car bomb.

Well-placed Western government officials in the region, with access to "technical" information about the strike, have told EA that they "can say with 'certainty' that the missiles were delivered by a jet, flying at altitude".

The officials were specific that their evidence showed that the explosion was not from a ballistic missile fired from the ground or a bomb dropped from the aircraft.

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Syria Exclusive: Proving the Assad Jet Fighter's Attack on Aleppo University

UPDATE: We have posted an important follow-up story with additional evidence. See Syria Exclusive: Definitive Evidence of Regime Airstrikes on Aleppo University.

Original article is below:

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On 15 January, two explosions, three minutes apart, ripped through Aleppo University during the first day of final exams. At least 80 students were killed, and many more were wounded.

Within minutes, reports flooded social media that a regime warplane had fired two missiles at the campus. A student posted on Twitter:

A plane hit with two shells. We saw the plane with our own eyes. I am not going to doubt my eyes and believe regime media.

When the plane roamed above the university following the shelling, the university guards and soldiers told us, "Hide, the plane is back!"

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