While Jerusalem refused to confirm or deny reports that Israeli Air Force carried out air strikes on Syria, Israeli Intelligence Minister Yuval Steinitz reiterated on Israel Radio Monday that Israel has a policy of preventing “game-changing” and ultra-sophisticated weaponry from falling into the hands of terrorists.
Steinitz was careful to stay clear of addressing Sunday's attacks near Damascus, even as he dismissed as “absurd” claims from opposition parties that the attacks were approved by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for political purposes.
He said the government was “truly, truly protecting Israel” and was guided in its actions by what is necessary for Israel's national security, without making “political connections.” Claims to the contrary, he said, were an “insult to the intelligence.”
Steinitz also carefully stayed away from confirming that Netanyahu gave a hint at Sunday's cabinet meeting of what lay in store Sunday in Syria. At that meeting, Netanyahu said, “We are closely monitoring the Middle East and what is happening with open eyes and ears and a lot is happening. We will stay informed and we will deal with these threats and challenges, which are not taking a time-out. We will deal with them with the same responsibility that we have up until now.”
Nonetheless, the minister stressed that Israel maintained a very firm security policy of preventing terror groups from obtaining advanced weapons that would change military balance in the region. Arab media reported that the target of the attack was advanced Russian S-300 air-defense missiles, long considered a “game-changing” weapon by Israel. Israeli officials maintain a policy of ambiguity regarding such bombing runs, several of which have been carried out in recent years in Syria, and rarely take credit for them.
‘’The Iranian Revolutionary Guard continues to play with fire by equipping Hezbollah with arms that have the capability to cause widespread losses and destruction in Israel,’’ writes Ynet news.
Syrian state television said that Israeli jets had bombed areas near Damascus international airport and in the town of Dimas, near the border with Lebanon.
An Israeli army spokesman said he would not comment on the "foreign reports".
Israel has struck Syria several times since the start of the three-year war, mostly destroying weaponry such as missiles that Israeli officials said were destined for Hezbollah in neighbouring Lebanon.
Israeli press reports said the targets were in two distant areas – one near the international airport in Damascus and the other in Dimas, west of the capital, mere miles from the border with Lebanon.
It is widely believed that shipments of missiles and other arms destined for Hezbollah land in Iranian cargo jets at the airport in Damascus, then transferred to a Syrian military storage site, until they are sent to over the border to Lebanon.
‘’It is reasonable to assume that today's strike, if it actually was undertaken by the IAF through Lebanese airspace, was launched based on precise intelligence and after all operational and strategic aspects were considered,’’ writes Ynet news.
In recent weeks, many Hezbollah officials and senior members of Iran's Revolutionary Guard have publicly boasted about the advanced ground-to-ground missiles which Iran supplied Hezbollah and which allow the terror group to threaten almost any target within Israel.
Prof. Eyal Zisser, an expert on Syria from the Moshe Dayan Center at Tel Aviv University, told The Jerusalem Post on Sunday, “Israel’s policy is clear. It does not interfere in the war and has no interest to attack [Syrian President] Bashar Assad and its army, or to topple the regime.”
However, he said that “Israel took advantage several times in the past of Assad’s weakness and acted against arms shipments on their way from Syria to Hezbollah.”
In the past, no one had any interest in opening up another front and everyone acted to contain the fallout, said Zisser, adding: “Let’s hope that will happen this time.”
At Sunday’s cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel was following developments in the Middle East with great interest, because “a great deal is happening.”
“We will remain constantly with our hand on the pulse, and we will deal with these threats and challenges because they do not take a time-out,” Netanyahu said.
“We will deal with them with the same degree of responsibility that we have done up until now.”
Prof. Eyal Zisser, an expert on Syria from the Moshe Dayan Center at Tel Aviv University, told The Jerusalem Post on Sunday, “Israel’s policy is clear. It does not interfere in the war and has no interest to attack [Syrian President] Bashar Assad and its army, or to topple the regime.”
However, he said that “Israel took advantage several times in the past of Assad’s weakness and acted against arms shipments on their way from Syria to Hezbollah.”
In the past, no one had any interest in opening up another front and everyone acted to contain the fallout, said Zisser, adding: “Let’s hope that will happen this time.”
Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon has previously announced the three red lines according to which Israel takes action on the northern front :
1.The transfer of "game-changing" weaponry to Hezbollah
2. Chemical weapons
3. Any harm to Israeli sovereignty