Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a stern speech Wednesday at a state ceremony on the eve of Holocaust Remembrance Day, warned Iran not to test Israel’s resolve, asserting that the Jewish state would respond to Tehran’s “aggression” with “steadfastness.”
“We are preventing Iranian activity in Syria. These are not just words,” Netanyahu asserted.
“Our policy can be summed up in three words: ‘Steadfastness against aggression.’ Steadfastness on defense, steadfastness on deterrence, steadfastness against anyone who threatens to destroy us,” he added.
His warning came shortly after Tehran threatened to retaliate for a deadly Monday airstrike in Syria that has been widely attributed to Israel.
Russia, Syria, Iran and the United States have all said Israel launched the missile barrage on the T-4 Air Base near Palmyra in central Syria. Israeli officials refused to comment on the strike, which reportedly killed at least 14 people, including at least seven Iranian military personnel. Hebrew media reports have indicated that the target was an Iranian base, and that a major weapons system of some kind was destroyed.
Without going into specifics, Netanyahu said that “the events in recent days teach us that standing up to evil and aggression is the mission imposed on every generation.”
“In the Holocaust we were helpless, defenseless and voiceless,” he said. “In truth, our voice was not heard at all. Today we have a strong country, a strong army, and our voice is heard among the nations.”
On Tuesday, a top adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei threatened Israel over the air raid.
“The crimes will not remain unanswered,” Ali Akbar Velayati said during a visit to Syria, according to the official Islamic Republic News Agency.
Referring to Iranian threats of retaliation, Netanyahu said plainly, “Don’t test the resolve of the State of Israel.”
He then went on to address the Iranian people directly. “Our two ancient peoples will be able to live together again” after the Islamic Republic falls, he said.
Israel has regularly expressed its concern about the Iranian presence in Syria, fearing the long-term establishment of hostile forces in the neighboring country.
Israeli officials did not appear to be taking the threat of a retaliatory attack — either by Iran, or its proxy, the Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah — lightly, and IDF forces are remaining on high alert in the north.
Iran has deployed thousands of fighters to Syria, presented as “volunteers” from Afghanistan and Pakistan and trained locally by Iranian “military advisers.” It denies having a military presence in the war-torn country where the volunteers are fighting on behalf of ally Syrian President Bashar Assad as he campaigns to suppress an insurgency now in its eight year.
"Assad's regime and Assad himself will disappear from the map and the world if the Iranians do try to harm Israel or its interests from Syrian territory."
"If the Iranians act against Israel from Syrian territory, Syrian President Bashar Assad and his regime will be those that pay the price."
That is the clear message from senior officials in the Israeli defense establishment and IDF after the top adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei called a strike on the Syrian T-4 air base "Israel's crime" and said the alleged act would "not remain without response."
That is the clear message from senior officials in the Israeli defense establishment and IDF after the top adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei called a strike on the Syrian T-4 air base "Israel's crime" and said the alleged act would "not remain without response."
"Assad's regime and Assad himself will disappear from the map and the world if the Iranians do try to harm Israel or its interests from Syrian territory," said senior officials in the defense establishment.
"Our recommendation to Iran is that it does not try to act, because Israel is determined to continue on this issue to the very end," the officials said.
Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman said Tuesday that Israel will take all necessary steps to prevent Iran from establishing a permanent military base in Syria.
"No matter what the price, we will not allow Iran to have a permanent [military] foothold in Syria. We have no other choice," said Liberman.
"Our recommendation to Iran is that it does not try to act, because Israel is determined to continue on this issue to the very end," the officials said.
Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman said Tuesday that Israel will take all necessary steps to prevent Iran from establishing a permanent military base in Syria.
"No matter what the price, we will not allow Iran to have a permanent [military] foothold in Syria. We have no other choice," said Liberman.
Expanding on Liberman's comments, security officials believe that Iran may try to retaliate to the alleged Israeli attack, either with Iranian weapons transported into Syria from Iran or by "borrowing" Syrian army systems.
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