Evening Update: Golan May Be The New Hot Spot In Middle East

After stumbling on a very ominous article posted by DEBKA and seeking confirmation via other news outlets, it appears that some major developments are occurring in the Golan Heights region. This is arguably the most important piece of land in the greater Israel area from a military perspective. Additionally, the references to the "mountains of Israel", as seen in Ezekiel 38:8, 21 and 39:2 and portrayed as being a particular place of death and bloodshed would obviously include the Golan Heights and West Bank. We also know from Isaiah 17 that northern Israel will take quite a hit, presumably from the Syrian/Lebanon/Hezbollah axis,with Iran and Russia lurking in the background.

And indeed that is exactly how things are shaping up. 

With that context, take a look at this evening's news:

Putin Offers Russian Troops In Lieu Of Austrian Golan Peacekeepers

Just 24 hours after Austria decided to withdraw its 380-strong contingent from the UN force policing the Golan separation zone, President Vladimir Putin stepped forward Friday, June 7, with an offer of a Russian force to take its place on the highly sensitive Syrian-Israeli border. Thursday, two peacekeepers were injured by falling ordnance from a battle between Syrian and rebel troops around Quneitra.

The Russian president saw his opportunity to pluck the fruits of Moscow’s success in backing the Syrian-Hizballah forces’ advances in major battles against rebels, notably at al Qusayr, and position Russian troops face to face with the Israeli army. They would constitute a barrier against any military intervention being mounted against the Assad regime from Israel.

UN Deputy Spokesman Farhan Hak said: "The UN would welcome Russia’s contribution to peacekeeping efforts in the region."

Our military and intelligence sources doubt whether the Israeli government will be enthusiastic about Russian troops policing the Golan sector separating Israeli and Syrian forces. Jerusalem may be expected to seek advice from Washington in order to get the Russian contribution disqualified on the grounds that Moscow can hardly claim to be a neutral party when it is so heavily committed militarily to one side of the Syrian conflict.

What Putin said was this: “In view of the complicated situation which is currently unfolding on the Golan Heights, we could replace the Austrian peacekeeping contingent, which is withdrawing from this region, on the disengagement line between Israeli troops and the Syrian army.”

The Russian president made no mention of the presence of Syrian rebels on the Golan.

Analysis: Golan Fighting Spells More Syria Woes For Israel

Brush fires from stray mortar bombs were still ablaze on the Golan Heights on Friday as Israeli farmers returned to their fields, a day after battles in Syria's civil war reached a UN-manned border crossing.

Once the smoke clears, Israel could find itself facing more trouble from multiple threats on its northern front.

Israel is now concerned the entire United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) is on the brink of unravelling - a scenario that could bring further escalation along what has been for decades a quiet frontier with Syria.

On high alert over escalating fighting between Assad's forces and his enemies in the Syrian-controlled parts of the Golan, Israel has started in recent months to adjust its deployment along the front. Shelling and machine gun fire have occasionally spilled over into Israeli-held territory.

The IDF has revived once-abandoned outposts on the Golan and sent up regular forces to take the place of reservists. Israeli leaders have spoken particularly of a future threat posed to peace on the Golan by jihadi fighters now battling against Assad's forces.

One senior Israeli official briefed on intelligence said Nasrallah's words seemed to be backed by action.

"Hezbollah appears to be making inroads on the Syrian-held Golan too. This would seem consistent with what Nasrallah pledged. There aren't Hezbollah 'boots on the ground' there yet but the infrastructure is being built," said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The official added that Hezbollah had much to gain from fighting on behalf of its longstanding patron Assad. Hezbollah, he said, was acting under assurances it would be rewarded by Assad in the form of arms transfers.

As Fighting Looms Closer To Home, IDF Confronts Increased Jihadi Presence In Golan Heights

Russia Conducts Test Of New ICBM Designed To Defeat U.S. Defenses

Also see:

Secret NSA Data Center In Bluffdale, Utah

An aerial view of the NSA's Utah Data Center in Bluffdale, Utah, Thursday, June 6, 2013. The government is secretly collecting the telephone records of millions of U.S. customers of Verizon under a top-secret court order, according to the chairwoman of the Senate Intelligence Committee. The Obama administration is defending the National Security Agency's need to collect such records, but critics are calling it a huge over-reach.

IRS Workers Say Supervisors Directed Targeting