Netanyahu confirms Israeli military shelled Syrian province to prevent 'Iran entrenchment'
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has confirmed the Israeli army hit targets in Syria in an attempt to discourage Iran from gaining a foothold there. Israeli shells have reportedly hit a hospital and an observation post.
"We operate every day, including yesterday, against Iran and its attempts to entrench itself in the region," Netanyahu said as he was about to depart to the Middle East conference in Warsaw, Poland on Tuesday, confirming a Monday attack on Syria's southern Quneitra province.
Also on rt.com Iran vows ‘crushing’ response to Israeli strikes in SyriaNetanyahu has accused Iran of entangling itself in Syria to later use it as a springboard for attacks on Israel. The Israeli PM pointed out that Iran has ramped up its rhetoric against the Jewish State as it continues its bombing campaign in Syria.
The Israeli leader has vowed to annihilate the Islamic Republic if it follows through on its threats.
"Iran is issuing threats against us. On the fortieth anniversary of their revolution, they threatened to destroy Tel Aviv and Haifa. I said that they won't succeed and if they try it will be the last anniversary they celebrate," he said.
Last month, a senior official with Iran's influential Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warned that Tehran would erase Israel off the map if it "does anything that leads to a new war." The warning came after the Israeli Defense Forces launched massive strikes against IRGC forces in Syria.
READ MORE: 16 civilians, including 7 children, killed in US-led coalition air raid in Syria – SANA
Despite its saber-rattling, Iran has yet to retaliate against Israeli raids.
Since the onset of the Syrian conflict, Israel has been routinely bombing the Syrian territory on the pretext of targeting Iranian proxies there, including Hezbollah. The attacks have been condemned by Damascus as a flagrant violation of Syrian sovereignty.
The latest such assault took place on Monday evening, with Syria's state news agency SANA reporting that Israeli artillery targeted a number of sites in Quneitra province. The agency reported, citing a source, that the Israel pelted a destroyed Quneitra hospital with 4 missiles and hit a security post, causing material damage.
The frequent incursions into Syria by Israel have drawn a stark rebuke from Tehran, which last week warned of "crushing and proportional response" unless Israel stops its unmitigated bombing campaign.
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