Fears grow of an escalation in the Syrian conflict A booby-trapped car is said to have caused a huge explosion at a military airport on the edge of Damascus killing or wounding at least 20 members of President Bashar al-Assad's forces. An unverified video posted on the internet is said to show rebel brigades attacking Syrian troops. In a further escalation of the fighting, Lebanon's Hezbollah are reportedly preparing to help Assad forces re-take the city of Aleppo. The regime appears to be receiving aid from several quarters - unconfirmed reports claim Iran is to send Assad 4,000 of its troops. Meanwhile the Pentagon has said a detachment of US F-16s and a Patriot missile battery will stay behind in Jordan at the end of joint military exercises. Lawmakers in Washington are pressing President Barack Obama to go beyond the recent pledge to supply arms to Syrian rebels - they want him to consider a no-fly zone over the war torn country. The military hardware left in Jordan could be used to impose the zone should such a decision be made. More about: Armed conflicts, Attack, Bashar al-Assad, Syria