World News.......................................................................Pages

Turkey Strikes!

Turkey is hinting at a New Syria offensive, but Russia is urging them to restrain.

The President of Turkey is once again hinting at a possible ground offensive in Syria against the Kurdish militants, as Syrian forces have denounced the new airstrikes and Russia has urged calm and called on Ankara, the capital of Turkey, to stay clear and not to escalate any further.

Russian Presidential envoy to Syria, Alexander Lavrentyev, has said that Turkey should "show a certain restraint" to stop an escalation in Syria, where anxiety has been heightened after Turkish airstrikes killed and wounded many Syrian soldiers.

Alexander Lavrentyev's country remains a strong ally of the Syrian government, said that he hopes that "it will be possible to convince our Turkish partners to refrain from excessive use of force on Syrian territory."

The Kurdish led Syrian Democratic Forces said later that fresh Turkish airstrikes had struck a base that the group shares with the U.S. led coalition in the fight against the Islamic State Group. The shared base is outside of the town Qamishli, which is about 50 kilometers from the Turkish border. After the airstrike was over, two SDF Fighters were killed while three were wounded.

The airstrikes were carried out by Turkey because of the Kurdish militants targets in northern Syria, in retaliation for the November 13th deadly bombings in Istanbul that Turkey blames on the Kurdish militant group. The Kurdish militants have denied any involvement in the bombings of November 13th.

The Syrian Army had several positions hit by the airstrikes in three provinces which are along the border with Turkey, that killed and wounded many Syrian soldiers. Alexander Lavrentyev said, "We will, of course, call on our Turkish colleagues to show a certain restraint in order to prevent an escalation of tension, and on escalation of tension not only in the north, but also in the entire territory of Syria."

The Turkish President, Tayyip Erdogan, said that Turkey's movements would not be just airstrikes, as he was suggesting a possible new attack. He said, "We have been on top of the terrorists for the past few days with our planes, artillery and drones. As soon as possible, we will root out all of them together with our tanks and soldiers." Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan also said, "From now on, there is only one measure of us. There is only one border. And that is the safety of our own country, our own citizens. It is our most legitimate right to go where this security is ensured."

The Turkish fighter planes attacked the base of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, the Syrian People's Protection Units, or YPG. Turkey has claimed their planes hit 89 targets and they were all destroyed and many militants were killed.

The Syrians are saying that 35 people were killed in the Turkish airstrikes and 18 Kurdish fighters, 16 Syrian soldiers and a journalist.

Jerusalem Bombings

Terrorists target commuters as one was killed and 20 injured, at Jerusalem Bus Stop Bombings,

Some suspected terrorists have targeted passengers at two bus stops north and west of Jerusalem; they killed one person and injured more than 20 people. The police are now searching for one or more Palestinian suspects.

The bombs were wrapped in plastic and had been filled with nails as to create more damage to people and everything around them; they hit at the busiest time. This attack reminded many of the Second Intifada or Palestinian uprising that happened between 20012003. These attacks came as former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu negotiates to form Israel's next government.

Itamar Ben-Gvir a Knesset member, who may be in line to be Israel's next Public Security Minister, went to visit the scene of the first bombing after authorities had closed part of the main road to Tel Aviv. Ben-Gvir said that Israel must do more to stop such attacks. "I say in a clear way: We must exact a price from terror. Go back to targeted assassinations, to stop the parties in the security prisons, to stop the Palestinian Authority supporting terrorism payments. This can be done, I'm not talking politics, we have to establish a government as fast as possible," he warned.

The U.S Embassy in Jerusalem has condemned the violence, as did Dimiter Tzantchev, the European Union's Ambassador to Israel. Palestinian attacks against Israelis have killed more than 19 people since March, and the declining security situation has played a role in raising parties on the right during the November 1st elections. In Palestinian towns, they were actually handing out candy in order to celebrate the bombings. But so far, no groups have claimed responsibility. The Times of Israel has reported that Hamas is promising more attacks. Another terrorist group, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, has issued this statement, "The operation in the occupied city of Jerusalem is a natural response to the occupation, it's terrorism, and it's criminal practices against the defenseless

Palestinian people and its holy sites."

The outgoing Prime

Minister Yair Lapid has been updating

Benjamin Netanyahu on the security situation.

Yoav Limor, a journalist and defense analyst, writes in the daily Israel Hayom that

Israel has a "ticking time bomb" on their hands. He said, "The attacks indicate that there is an explosives lab within Judea and Samaria, the West Bank with effective know how. In a way, it is a ticking time bomb in and of itself. Every minute that goes by could potentially mean that another improvised explosive device had already been dispatched to Israel after having been assembled there."

Twelve hours before the bombings, the Israeli media was talking of all the infighting between Netanyahu's Likud Party and the religious parties who are trying to form the next government.