Civilians reportedly killed in US airstrikes, and other Syria news

From CBS News, reporting on the US-led airstrikes this morning:

According to the Syrian Observatory, citing local activists on the ground, at least 30 Nusra fighters were killed in the strikes. The group said eight civilians, including two children, were also killed.

Practically none of the other mainstream media coverage of this top news story mentioned anything about civilian casualties.

Isn't it interesting that the media's focus on Israel's fight against radical jihadists, who were directly threatening millions of people with imminent rocket strikes, was centered on civilian casualties - and here no one really cares? We won't see any graphic photos of dead kids, except for those who read Syrian and Iranian propaganda news sites. There aren't hundreds of Western reporters on the ground in Syria eagerly camping outside hospitals in flack jackets to get some Pulitzer worthy footage of poor civilian victims.

Meanwhile Israel shot down a Syrian Sukhoi attack aircraft that came half a mile into Israeli territory. Here is alleged footage from the Syrian rebels.



But there was yet another story that came out of the Syrian Observatory of Human Rights:

Syria revolutionaries front and many Islamic battalions announced the beginning of the battle of " Nasron Mena Allah wa Fathon Qarib " which will be targeting the following::
- the UN hill which is taken over by Khan Arnaba Shabiha.
- Tal Ahmar " Ein al-Nouria hill " which is related to brigade 90.
- Taranja troop which is related to the 3rd battalion in the 90th brigade.
- Kataf tropp which is related to the 90th brigade.

the statement said that the strategic targets of the battle are " to liberate whats left of al-Quneitra land, and besiege Khan Arnaba and al-Ba'th city, which are the last bastions of the regular forces in al-Quneitra province .

It is interesting that both the Syrian warplane and the Islamists are concentrating on Quneitra - a town that is half in Israeli hands. 

Are both groups trying to bring Israel into the conflict to gain support? Syria already said Israel's shooting down the fighter jet was “in the framework of (Israel’s) support for the terrorist (Islamic State) and the Nusra Front." I don't think that Syria would sacrifice one of its 19 Sukhois just for propaganda, but that is some pretty incompetent flying. But the rhetoric from the Islamists about Quneitra may be worth watching.