Lieberman: Israel free to strike Syria

Israel will maintain its freedom to strike sites in Syria, Defence Minister Avigdor Lieverman said yesterday.

“We have no intention to attack Russia or to interfere in domestic Syrian issues,” Lieberman said. “But if somebody thinks that it is possible to launch missiles or to attack Israel or even our aircraft, no doubt we will respond and we will respond very forcefully.”

His comments come as Israel has been said to be targeting sites which it claims are Iranian missile bases in Syria. Rockets hit several military bases in Hama and Aleppo yesterday, Syrian state TV reported, adding that it was “a new aggression” by “enemy rockets”. Though blame has not officially been placed on Israel, the strike is similar to one which killed numerous Iranian officials earlier this month.

Lieberman said that Israel has three problems: “Iran, Iran, Iran.”

“Iran is trying to destabilise the whole region, not only in Israel.”

Read: Israel hints it could hit Iran’s ‘air force’ in Syria