Iranian troops mark army day in Tehran last week. Iranian forces are preparing to establish permanent bases in Syria, which Israel wants the US to help dislodge EBRAHIM NOROOZIAt 7.32am on Thursday, soldiers and officers of the 98th airborne division of the Israeli defence forces (IDF) received an emergency call-up on their phones. It was Independence Day in Israel and most were having a lie-in. In the past the call-up was activated by codewords on radio and television. As the men — and a few women — of the 98th rubbed the sleep out their eyes and groped towards the cupboards…

Source: The Times April 21, 2018 23:08 UTC