Ya'alon: Iran and Hezbollah seek to start war

Israeli Defence Minister Moshe Ya’alon has said that Iran and Hezbollah sought to start war with Israel in the Golan Heights through carrying out operations such as infiltrating Israeli settlements, targeting Israeli tanks and launching rockets towards Israel, Arabs 48 has reported.

Speaking on Israeli state radio, Ya’alon said that the Syrian and Lebanese governments would pay the price for any operation carried out against Israel in response to the recent Israeli attack on Al-Quneitra in Syrian-controlled Golan Heights, which killed Hezbollah commander General Allahdadi.

He said that Iran is planning to attack Western interests in the region as well as Israeli interests through its control over the Golan Heights.

The radio reported him as saying that Iran is trying to control Syrian and the Golan Heights, as well as attempting to bolster its interests Yemen as it has already done in Lebanon (a reference to the recent ouster of the Yemeni president by Shia Houthi rebels).

Ya’alon refused to say whether Israel has threatened Iran through Russia, saying that he does not disclose what is being done behind closed doors. He said that he only spoke to the American defence secretary in wake of the attack on Al-Quneitra.

He said that his ministry had reinforced power on the northern border, fearing any potential escalation, but he stressed that he called for residents there to maintain normal life.

In addition, he said that his ministry sent warnings to Israeli embassies and consulates abroad fearing any revenge action.

The minister had previously told Reuters that Israel did not know about the existence of the Iranian general in Al-Quneitra when his ministry launched the attack. He also said that Israel did not issue a clarification statement because this has not been the norm in such incidents.