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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Israel to ‘continue’ targeting Hezbollah-bound arms in Syria |
| 2017-03-20 |
| Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday that Israel's latest air strikes into Syria targeted weapons bound for Lebanon's Hezbollah, and that it will continue to carry out such raids. Netanyahu’s statement came after Israeli warplanes struck several targets within Syria, and Syria fired missiles back in retaliation. "When we identify attempts to transfer advanced weapons to Hezbollah and we have intelligence and it is operationally feasible, we act to prevent it," he said in footage aired on Israel's major television networks. "That's how it was yesterday and that's how we shall continue to act," Netanyahu added. Israeli aerial defence systems intercepted one of the Syrian missiles, the Israeli army said, without elaborating. It would not say whether any other missiles struck Israeli-held territory, but said the safety of civilians and aircraft was "not compromised". Israel is widely believed to have carried out several airstrikes in recent years on advanced weapons systems in Syria – including Russian-made anti-aircraft missiles and Iranian-made missiles – as well as Hezbollah positions. It rarely comments on such operations and the military statement detailing the raid and comments confirming the operation by the prime minister were highly unusual. |
| Posted by:Steve White |