Tuesday, February 5, 2019

Iran Repeats Threat Of 'Firm Response' Should Israel Attack Targets In Syria



Iran vows 'firm response' should Israel continue to attack targets in Syria - Iran


The secretary of Iran's National Security Council warned Israel on Tuesday of a firm and "deterrent" response if it continued attacking targets in Syria.

"If these actions continue, we will activate some calculated measures as a deterrent and as a firm and appropriate response to teach a lesson to the criminal and lying rulers of Israel," Ali Shamkhani was quoted as saying by Fars news agency.

The Israeli military struck Iranian targets in Syria last month, the attack coming hours after its Iron Dome system intercepted a missile launched from Syria.

The missile was fired following a strike on an airport south of Damascus, which Israel later claimed responsibility for.

Last week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed Iran and Syria with two senior Russian officials

According to a statement issued by Netanyahu’s bureau after the Jerusalem meeting, President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy for Syria Alexander Lavrentiev and Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin reiterated Moscow’s commitment to Israel’s security.

Israeli officials have expressed their concerns in recent weeks that Jerusalem will be exposed to Iranian aggression following the American departure, but on Friday Russia's deputy foreign ministry assured that Moscow is committed to Israel's safety. 

In an interview with CNN, the deputy foreign minister stated that "We in no way underestimate the importance of measures that would ensure very strong security of the State of Israel. This is one of the top priorities." 

Earlier last week, Russia said that Israel should stop carrying out what it called arbitrary air strikes on Syria days after the Israeli air force targeted Iranian forces there. 

Israel, which regards Iran as its biggest threat, has repeatedly attacked Iranian targets in Syria and those of allied militia, including Lebanon's Hezbollah. 









Hezbollah's bigger role in Lebanon's new unity government points to a growing appetite to shape state affairs and builds on unprecedented military clout the group is wielding after helping turn the tide in Syria's war.

Hezbollah's expanding power in Lebanon reflects a deepening of Iranian influence in an arc of territory from Tehran through Baghdad and Damascus that its foes Saudi Arabia and Israel have struggled to counter.

Deemed a terrorist organisation by the United States, Iran-backed Hezbollah has assumed control of three ministries in the government led by the Western-backed Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri, the largest number of portfolios it has ever held.


More broadly, Hezbollah and its political allies from across Lebanon's sectarian spectrum have emerged with more than half of cabinet's 30 seats, reflecting a May parliamentary election which the group declared a victory.


Salem Zahran, an analyst with links to Hezbollah leaders, said the government would go down in its history as the "first big shift and the first step along a long road" towards more influence in government.

"This transformation is because Hezbollah has accumulated an excess of power after it has nearly finished with the military battles in Syria," he said. "I believe that Hezbollah will build up even more involvement in the Lebanese state."



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