FP.com and War on the Rocks reported the use of a TOW missile system being used by Syrian rebels against an Assad force tank.  The video shows a guerilla firing an older generation TOW missile and a plume of smoke in the distance.  The non uniformed gunner from the video is reported to be a member of Harakat Hazm, part of the Free Syrian Army, a group seen as more moderate than some of the Islamist fighters trying to overthrow Assad.   This may be evidence that the US is finally shipping lethal aid to Syrian rebels.

The TOW missile system is a medium anti-tank missile system that requires a crew or vehicle to transport.  It’s been in service since the ‘70s and is one of the most prolific anti-tank missiles in the world.   Earlier versions have a range of 2750m but the latest missiles can reach out in excess of 4000m.  Nations in the region that have the TOW include Egypt, Turkey, Israel, Lebanon, Oman, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and even Iran.