US spokesman: “The coalition is not a party to the agreement between Lebanese Hezbollah and ISIS.”

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US warplanes have struck to try and prevent the transfer to eastern Syria of Islamic State fighters and their families, in an operation organized by Hezbollah and the Assad regime.

A convoy of buses and ambulances began moving more than 600 ISIS members and relatives from the Syria-Lebanon border, on Monday following offensives against the Islamic State on both sides by Hezbollah and the Lebanese army. They are being relocated in al-Bukamal, in Deir ez-Zor Province near the Iraqi border.

The province in eastern Syria is the last significant territory — outside of the embattled city of Raqqa — with a substantial ISIS presence.

See Syria Daily, August 29: ISIS Fighters and Families Moved Under Regime Escort

This month’s Hezbollah-Lebanese attacks have all but removed the Islamic State from southwestern Syria and northeastern Lebanon, but the US objects to any removal which could reinforce ISIS in Deir ez-Zor — a province which could soon see clashes between advancing pro-Assad forces, including Iranian-backed foreign militia, and US-supported Kurdish forces and the Free Syrian Army.

The US-led coalition said on Wednesday that the airstrikes, near the desert town Hamaymah, sought to “crater” roads. It said it did not strike the convoy but did hit “individual vehicles and fighters that were clearly identified as ISIS”.

Pentagon spokesman Eric Pahon emphasized, “The coalition is not a party to the agreement between Lebanese Hezbollah and ISIS. Russian and pro-regime counter-ISIS words ring hollow when they allow known terrorists to transit territory under their control.” He added:

ISIS is a global threat; relocating terrorists from one place to another for someone else to deal with is not a lasting solution. The coalition is monitoring the movement of these fighters in real-time. In accordance with the law of armed conflict, the coalition will take action against ISIS whenever and wherever we are able to.

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah responded angrily, “The number of those transferred was not big: 310 tired, broken, militants who had surrendered and lost the willpower to fight will not change the course of the battle in Deir ez-Zor, where there are tens of thousands of fighters.”

Iraq is also objecting to the Hezbollah-regime operation. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi told a news conference:

We are not happy with the deal and we consider it a mistake by transferring territories to an area nearby the Syrian-Iraqi border. ISIS is dying and we should not give it a chance to breathe….

We are fighting terrorists in Iraq, not kicking them out to Syria. They are terrorists: Why would one negotiate with them in the first place?

Report: Putin Rejects Netanyahu Appeal Over Iranian Presence

Kremlin-connected Pravda claims that Russian President Vladimir Putin firmly rejected Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s appeal for the withdrawal of all Iranian and Iranian-led forces from Syria.

Israel’s YNet summarizes Pravda’s account:

Despite Netanyahu’s emotional state, the Russian leader remained calm. Putin said, “Iran is Russia’s strategic ally in the Middle East”, but added, “Israel is also an important partner of Russia in the region.” He noted Moscow does indeed take the Jewish state’s security interests into account.

Netanyahu’s worst nightmare came true since Putin rejected his threats.

The Russian outlet claims from “eyewitnesses”, “The Israeli Prime Minister sounded agitated and, at times, even close to panic.”

The Israeli leader had said after last week’s encounter, “I expressed the severity of the matter to Putin and made it clear we consider it unacceptable. It’s aimed against us and we won’t remain indifferent.”

See Iran Daily, August 24: Did Russia Push Back Israel Over Iranians in Syria?

FSA Factions Appeal for Rebel Aid After US Cut-Off

Free Syrian Army factions in eastern Syria have called on other rebels to assist them after a US-led operations center cut off supplies.

The Ahmad al-‘Abdu and Jaish Usood al-Sharqia factions, deployed in the Badia desert and eastern Qalamoun regions, were blocked by the Military Operations Centers, based in the Jordanian capital Amman, when they refused to stop their confrontation with the Assad regime’s army and Iranian-support foreign militias.

Represenatives of the faction said the US-led MOC gave them the option of moving to Deir ez-Zor Province to fight only the Islamic State. They suggested that the MOC is trying to ease the way for the pro-Assad forces to reopen the Damascus-to-Baghdad international highway after they suffered heavy losses in clashes.