"The Israeli aircraft carried out the aggression on two military sites in the eastern countryside of Aleppo, from the atmosphere of the areas controlled by the American occupation forces east of the Euphrates.

"Internal and external motives intersect on the Israeli agenda in terms of pushing it to continue the aggression against Syria. On the one hand, Israel is well aware that with the expected elimination of terrorist groups in the north, which have so far received very strong strikes, an important part of the balance of Syrian deterrence towards Israel will be restored.

"From here it appears that there is a confirmed conflict between Israelis and terrorist groups, and this is not limited to providing them directly with weapons as the former chief of the Israeli staff admitted, and with Israeli certainty that preserving terrorism in the northern region, and the tendency of isolationism in the north-east is the last of its cards in the project to foil the Syrian state."

"Many reports indicate a dramatic shift in the relationship between Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his allies, by agreeing to a peaceful transition to rule in Syria by forming an interim government and appointing a new president until holding elections.

"Israel exploits these conditions well and increases its attacks on Syria, to impose itself on the table of the international agreement on Syria, and to be a party to it and decide with them the future of Syria.

"In addition to Israel taking advantage of Hezbollah's preoccupation with what is happening in Lebanon, which constitutes direct pressure on the party and its political future, Israel sees this as an opportunity to strike any weapons depot or security center for Hezbollah and Iran."

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As this latest coup attempt was literally stopped in its tracks, the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry made this accusation: "The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela denounces to the international community a new mercenary and terrorist aggression organized from the territory of the Republic of Colombia and planned by US agents, against peace, democracy and sovereignty of Venezuela." Predictably, Colombia denied any responsibility and dismissed the accusations. And as for the US, recall it had put out a $15 million bounty on the Venezuelan president. Included in those arrested was a "veteran agent" of the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) - an undeniable link to Washington.

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Trump has denied any involvement by the U.S. government in the failed armed incursion.

"We'll find out. We just heard about it," Trump said when asked about the incident and the Americans' arrests. "But it has nothing to do with our government."

The US State Department accused the Maduro government of a "highly questionable representation of the details," saying it did not accept the account at face value and was seeking more information. It did not specify, however, what it believed had been distorted.

U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper told a Pentagon briefing: "The United States government had nothing to do with what's happened in Venezuela in the last few days."

State Department spokesman said: "We will also be looking closely into the role of the Maduro regime in this melodrama and especially of the very large Cuban intelligence apparatus in Venezuela." There was no immediate sign, however, that the U.S. and Venezuelan governments were communicating about the matter.

© Reuters/Miraflores PalacePersonal documents of detained US mercenaries shown by Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro during a virtual news conference in Caracas.

Two captured mercenaries are spilling the beans. They say kidnapping Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and bringing him to the US was the objective of the failed incursion into the country.

Mercenary Luke Denman said he was tasked to take control of the airport in order to facilitate the transfer of Maduro to the US. "I expected anywhere from $50,000 to $100,000," he said.

Pompeo pledged that the White House would use "every tool" in order to bring the two Americans - who used to serve in US special operations forces - back home.

Perhaps to shut them up?

Meanwhile, Moscow isn't buying US' denial of culpability - says it was 'alarmed' by foreign mercenaries with links to US special services attempted to land in Venezuela.

As the US has said: 'All options are on the table."