Hybrid War against Syria, Iran May Trigger ‘Massive’ Mideast War, Warns Russian Daily

July 9, 2109 (EIRNS)—The Russian daily Nezavisimaya Gazeta warned on that a new stage of hybrid warfare against Syria and Iran has been unleashed by the United Kingdom and the U.S., which could escalate into a “massive war in the Middle East,” reports TASS, in its July 8 press review. The article argues that “The U.K. Royal Marines seizure of Grace 1, an Iranian supertanker carrying oil last week, was most likely a move, which had been thoroughly engineered by both London and Washington. It’s no coincidence that U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton was one of the first to react to the tanker’s seizure, describing it as ‘excellent news’....

“Apparently, a turning point has dawned,” the article continued, “and the U.S. and its close allies have decided to crank up maximum pressure on Iran and Syria. The July 4 incident in the Strait of Gibraltar can be considered as a new stage of a hybrid war waged against Syrian President Bashar Assad and the Iranian leadership.” The article urges caution on the Iranian side in responding to these provocations: “Any military action by Tehran in response may spiral into real combat actions and even into a massive war in the Middle East.... Iranian media claim that a Russian company owns the vessel carrying Iranian oil, although there is no official evidence of the fact.”