Security expert warns of Iranian bases in Syria

Former National Security Council chief Yaakov Amidror says the IDF may need to neutralize Iranian and Hezbollah bases in Syria

On Monday, former National Security Council (NSC) chief Yaakov Amidror said that Israeli military action could become necessary in order to prevent Iran and Hezbollah from establishing permanent bases in Syria.

A day earlier in Paris, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed similar sentiments to media representatives, saying Jerusalem opposed the brokered ceasefire in Syria since it facilitates and legitimizes an Iranian military presence in the wartorn state.

Amidror explained that if Israeli interests are not taken into account by the international players in Syria, “that might lead the IDF to intervene and destroy every attempt to build [permanent Iranian] infrastructure in Syria.”

The former NSC security chief added, “We will not let the Iranians and Hezbollah be the forces that will win the very brutal war in Syria” and afterwards turn their guns against Israel.

Israel has so far kept a low profile and mainly avoided getting involved in the Syrian civil war. However, Netanyahu has publicly articulated that Israel will not accept transfer of game-changing weapons to Hezbollah or the establishment of permanent Iranian and Hezbollah bases in Syria that would constitute a threat against Israel.

Amidror stressed that Israel cannot outsource its own security and defense to external players.

“At the end of the day it is our responsibility, not the responsibility of the Americans, or the Russians, to guarantee ourselves, and we will take all the measures that are needed for that”.

Amidror added that the Jewish state has both military and diplomatic means at its disposal to prevent a permanent Iranian presence on Israel’s northern border. According to the former NSC security head, the position of the Iranian regime has been boosted by the Iranian nuclear deal.

“The ability of the Iranians to do what they are doing now in Syria and Iraq, and be involved in both Syria and Iraq, and their relations with Hezbollah, it is all built on the legitimacy they gained from this [nuclear] agreement”.

By: Daniel Krygier, World Israel News

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