Early yesterday morning, the Syrian military responded to an Israeli air-force attack with an anti-aircraft missile. The missile detonated over southern Israel, leaving debris in a Bedouin village but not causing harm. Ron Ben-Yishai, Yoav Zitun, and Einav Halabi note that, although the missile might have been a failed attempt to shoot down an Israeli plane, there is another explanation:

The Syrian missile fire raises the possibility that the launch was not a mere accidental occurrence but a deliberate signal from Syria that it could launch missiles deep into Israeli territory. The assessment is based on the fact that the attack originated from western Syria, rather than the usual southern [area].

The Syrian president Bashar al-Assad’s recent statements vowing not to tolerate airstrikes on Syrian soil may have emboldened him, particularly considering the internal situation in Israel. Although the Syrians could have detonated the missile in the air before it reached Israel, it appears that the missile disintegrated on its own, without any instruction from the battery operators.

In response to the missile launch, the Israel Air Force carried out an attack on the battery responsible for the incident. In previous instances, Russia supplied replacement batteries to the Syrian army, but this time the delivery of a new battery or its components may be challenging. Russia is currently engaged in the conflict in Ukraine and requires these batteries for its own operations, often utilizing SA-5 [surface-to-air] missiles as long-range surface-to-surface missiles.

On Tuesday, representatives of Hamas met with their counterparts from Fatah—the faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) once led by Yasir Arafat that now governs parts of the West Bank—in Beijing to discuss possible reconciliation. While it is unlikely that these talks will yield any more progress than the many previous rounds, they constitute a significant step in China’s increasing attempts to involve itself in the Middle East on the side of Israel’s enemies.

By contrast, writes Tuvia Gering, Taiwan has been quick and consistent in its condemnations of Hamas and Iran and its expressions of sympathy with Israel:

Support from Taipei goes beyond words. Taiwan’s appointee in Tel Aviv and de-facto ambassador, Abby Lee, has been busy aiding hostage families, adopting the most affected kibbutzim in southern Israel, and volunteering with farmers. Taiwan recently pledged more than half a million dollars to Israel for critical initiatives, including medical and communications supplies for local municipalities. This follows earlier aid from Taiwan to an organization helping Israeli soldiers and families immediately after the October 7 attack.

The reasons why are not hard to fathom:

In many ways, Taiwan sees a reflection of itself in Israel—two vibrant democracies facing threats from hostile neighbors. Both nations wield substantial economic and technological prowess, and both heavily depend on U.S. military exports and diplomacy. Taipei also sees Israel as a “role model” for what Taiwan should aspire to be, citing its unwavering determination and capabilities to defend itself.

On a deeper level, Taiwanese leaders seem to view Israel’s war with Hamas and Iran as an extension of a greater struggle between democracy and autocracy.

Gering urges Israel to reciprocate these expressions of friendship and to take into account that “China has been going above and beyond to demonize the Jewish state in international forums.” Above all, he writes, Jerusalem should “take a firmer stance against China’s support for Hamas and Iran-backed terrorism, exposing the hypocrisy and repression that underpin its vision for a new global order.”