from ZeroHedge:

Erdogan’s promised Turkish military operation in northeast Syria has begun, as confirmed by regional media and video footage. On Monday night Turkish fighter jets commenced bombing the Semelka Border Crossing in far northeast Syria on the border with Iraq.

Both Hezbollah-affiliated al-Mayadeen television channel and Israeli media are also reporting Turkish jets have attacked Kurdish targets in northern Syria.

#BREAKING: Reports: Turkish warplanes have bombed the Semelka Border Crossing at the Syria-Iraq border
pic.twitter.com/4Pi1mAratB

— Amichai Stein (@AmichaiStein1) October 7, 2019

This as the US claimed to have effectively shut down Northern Syria airspace to Turkey, and while Russian jets have reportedly been observed patrolling southern Syria, presumably to ensure the Turkish incursion comes nowhere near Syrian Army positions. The Semelka crossing since 2016 acted as a key SDF supply point between Kurdistan Regional Government in Iraq and the Kurdish-led Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria.

Turkey’s Anadolu Agency also reports Turkish officers have been expelled from the Joint Air Operations Center which was the heart of coordinated anti-ISIL activities among the allies, meaning US surveillance and reconnaissance data are no longer shared with Ankara. In northeast Syria a rapid US withdrawal from border observation posts at Tel Abyad and Ras al Ain has reportedly already occurred, paving the way for the imminent Turkish incursion.

Citing Pentagon spokeswoman Carla Gleason, Anadolu noted, however:

She stopped short of saying that the air space has been shut down to Turkey, but noted “if you’re not on the air tasking order, it’s really hard to coordinate flights in that area.”

Read More @ ZeroHedge.com