Syrian President Bashar al-Assad sent a message to Israel requesting military assistance in the regime’s struggle against the rebels who have captured large portions of northwestern Syria over the past few days, a security official told the Saudi Elaph media outlet. According to the report, Assad’s request was conveyed via one of his aides based in Europe directly to an Israeli security official. Israel did not outright reject the Syrian president’s request but conveyed a message to Assad that all Iranian militias must be removed from Syrian territory before Israel will consider positively responding to the request. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)