Under US, European, Turkish and Arab protection, the first Red Cross convoys reached Homs Friday, Feb. 24. They began evacuating injured victims and bringing medical aid to the city bombarded for three weeks by Bashar Assad’s troops - and opened the door to foreign intervention in the Syrian crisis. DEBKAfile reports exclusively that Washington and Ankara warned Assad through confidential channels that if he interfered in this emergency route, US and Turkish warplanes would fly in from East Turkey with air cover.