Israel appears poised to further escalate its attack on innocent civilians as its army chief says it’s “ready for ground operation.” The U.S. has sent top military commanders to advise Israel on its assault, including Marine Corps Lieutenant General James Glynn, who led U.S. forces in its failed operations in Iraq, in Fallujah.

A war monitor said Israeli strikes hit Syria’s Aleppo airport today in the fourth such attack over the past two weeks as fears mount of a wider regional conflict.