While reports of Syria’s biological and chemical weaponry arsenal are not official, the intelligence information and satellite imagery is sufficient to establish the credibility of the threat. In addition, it is known that the Assad regime invested heavily in quality Russian-built quality surface-to-surface missiles capable of striking anywhere in Israel and carrying a non conventional weapon (NCW) warhead.

While the presence of the weaponry does not come as news to Israel, during the years of the now crumbling Assad regime Israel was aware but unconcerned as the border with Syria has remained a quite one, albeit hostile. Now with the real fear of these weapons, both conventional and nonconventional falling into Hizbullah hands, the rules have changed and the IDF’s Northern Command and Military Intelligence are carefully monitoring any and all movement pertaining to the weapons.

For Syria, the chemical weapons program was instrumental as a deterrent against an Israeli attack against Syria, and it has succeeded in its program to develop cyanide, mustard gas, VX nerve gas and other highly worrisome agents. The delivery of these chemicals are easily be accomplished by loading the warhead of a ballistic missile. The Scud D missiles developed by Syria are capable of carrying the chemical weaponry 700km (420 miles) with an accuracy of a kilometer. The use of the chemical agents in Syria against rebels in the 1980s led to the deaths of 18,000 people.

Sarin has been classified as a weapon of mass destruction (WMD) by United Nations Resolution 687 and outlawed by the Chemical Weapons Convention of 1993.

Sarin has a high volatility relative to similar nerve agents. Inhalation and absorption through the skin pose a great threat. Even vapor concentrations immediately penetrate the skin. A person’s clothing can release sarin for about 30 minutes after it has come in contact with sarin vapor, which can lead to exposure of other people. Death may follow in one minute after direct ingestion of a lethal dose if antidotes, typically atropine and pralidoxime, are not quickly administered. Sarin is estimated to be over 500 times more toxic than cyanide.

Sulfur mustards commonly known as mustard gas has the ability to form large blisters on skin once exposed. Used as a weapon it usually has the odor of mustard or garlic and has a yellow-brownish color. It too was regulated by the 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention.

Because people exposed to mustard gas rarely suffer immediate symptoms, and mustard-contaminated areas may appear completely normal, victims can unknowingly receive high dosages. Within 24 hours of exposure to mustard agent, victims experience intense itching and skin irritation, which gradually turns into large blisters filled with yellow fluid wherever the mustard agent contacted the skin. These are chemical burns and are very debilitating. Mustard gas vapor easily penetrates clothing fabrics such as wool or cotton, so it is not only the exposed skin of victims that gets burned. If the victim’s eyes were exposed then they become sore, starting with conjunctivitis, after which the eyelids swell, resulting in temporary blindness. If inhaled at high concentrations, it causes bleeding and blistering within the respiratory system, damaging mucous membranes and causing pulmonary edema.

Depending on the level of contamination, mustard gas burns can vary between first and second degree burns, though they can also be every bit as severe, disfiguring and dangerous as third degree burns.

The photos satellite photos shown by the international media of a recent bombing of a weapons convoy along the Syrian border to Lebanon attributed to Israel was reportedly a shipment of some of these weapons on their way to Hizbullah. For Hizbullah, arming with the WMD and Scud D missiles would result in a significant shift in power in its ongoing war with Israel.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)