Reprinted from NewsMax.com

Thursday, May 31, 2007 10:13 p.m. EDT
Israel's Military Fears War This Summer

Israel's Defense Forces (IDF) fear a war could break out this summer with Syria, Israel's Haaretz newspaper reports.
 

The IDF has decided not to conduct military operations in the Gaza Strip to clean out terrorist nests, believing "that war might break out with Syria this summer," military sources told Haaretz.

The paper added that "intelligence analysts are still uncertain about whether Syrian President Bashar Assad intends to start a war or is merely trying to pressure Israel to resume peace talks."
 

Still, IDF analysts say "Syria has clearly been preparing for the possibility of war, both through troop training and major arms deals."

Israeli forces are making their primary focus repelling a Syrian attack along its northern border in the Golan Heights. Troubles with their Palestinian neighbors are being downgraded to a secondary priority.

The last time Israel and Syria engaged in full-scale war was 1973 when Syria, along with Egypt, launched a surprise attack on the Jewish state during the country's high holy day of Yom Kippur.