Is Syria preparing for war? Qatar's al-Watan newspaper reported Monday that political and media sources in Damascus expressed concerns that war may breakout between Israel and Syria before long.

According to the report, the nationwide emergency drill held by Damascus in response to a similar drill held by Israel last week, is one of the preemptive steps taken by Syria, which is supposedly responding to reports of Israel holding strategy meeting with the US in an attempt to devise an attack on both Syria and Iran.

Israel, claimed the report, is eyeing the period between the end of May to mid June as a possible window of attack; and the proof, as a senior Syrian official told al-Watan, is in the fact that the Israeli drill covering the Golan Heights was closely monitored by a high-ranking American general.

This close cooperation, added the source is evident that the two wish to send a message to the "resistance" in the area, namely Syria, Iran, Hizbullah and Hamas, that any the US is aware of the fact that any American strike against Iran may entail the latter bombing Israel and launching two new fronts against Syria and Lebanon.

Though titled a readiness drill against natural disasters, the Syria-crossing drill, added the report, has raised public concerns of a Mideast war pending in the summer.

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