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Lieberman confirms Syria air strikes, raises concerns over WMDs
Israel’s Defence Minister has reiterated that Israel carried out air strikes in Syria to prevent Hezbollah from smuggling advanced weaponry into Lebanon, just hours after Syrian media reported such an operation had taken place.
Al-Mayadeen television reported that Israeli jets targeted the Mezze military airport near Damascus before dawn. However, Syria’s official news agency later said that the strike had been the work of Israeli missiles based on the Golan Heights. Al-Arabiya reported fires in the vicinity of the Mezze airport and the arrival of emergency vehicles.
Although there was no comment from Israeli officials on the specific incident, Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman outlined Israel’s overall approach later in the day during a meeting with European Union (EU) ambassadors yesterday.
He said: “We act primarily to protect the safety of our citizens and defend our sovereignty, and we’re trying to prevent the smuggling of sophisticated weapons, military equipment and weapons of mass destruction from Syria to Hezbollah.”
Israeli leaders have previously admitted publicly that such strikes take place, but Lieberman’s comment was the first time that concerns have been raised over Hezbollah’s attempts to acquire weapons of mass destruction.
The Defence Minister reiterated that Israel has no intention of involving itself in Syria’s bloody civil war.
He said: “When I am asked, time and time again, what should be the nature of a possible future accord in Syria, I say and repeat that… the Iranians and Assad cannot be part of the accord.”
This outlook is at odds with Russia, which staunchly backs Assad, but with which Israel has also established a high-level chain of communication in order to coordinate their respective military operations in and around Syria.
It was reported last week that Israeli jets carried out a strike west of Damascus, destroying a weapons convoy heading for Hezbollah, which is estimated to possess at least 100,000 rockets in Lebanon ready to strike Israel. Israel is thought to be especially concerned about the potential transfer of Yakhont anti-ship missiles and air-defence systems.