Assad said to be in a bunker

Earlier tonight, Israel’s Channel 2 reported that Assad is already in a bunker, awaiting the US strike, expecting to emerge relatively unscathed, and claim victory.

The TV report also said Assad has sent his family to safe places.

In the past few days, he has been overseeing the evacuations of military command centers, ordering the relocation of sensitive equipment, and doing his utmost to minimize the damage of the looming US attack. Some forces and equipment have been moved to school and university campuses, including the campus of Homs University, the report said.

The movement of personnel away from likely targets was actually good for the US, a former Israeli army intelligence chief said, since it would likely reduce the casualty toll, and it would also reduce Assad’s incentive to retaliate.

If the US attack is not too devastating, Assad will emerge from the bunker “and say ‘I’ve won,’” said Gen. (ret.) Aharon Zeevi Farkash. “He’ll say ‘I stood up to [the US]. Now I can continue fighting the rebels.’”

One target Assad cannot move, and that is very likely to be attacked, Farkash said, is the SSRC, the Scientific Studies and Research Center in Damascus, at the heart of Assad’s chemical weapons industry.

Key airports would likely be among the US targets, Farkash added.

Farkash predicted a US strike involving about 100 Tomahawk missiles.