As Bennett toured the Golan Heights with the IDF chief of staff, he reiterated Israel’s commitment to thwarting Iranian military entrenchment on Israel’s borders.
By World Israel News Staff
On Wednesday, Defense Minister Naftali Bennett issued statements on the sidelines of an IDF drill simulating combat in the Golan Heights.
Bennett specifically targeted Tehran in his comments, warning, “As long as Iran tries to establish itself on Syrian soil, it will sink in the sand dunes of Syria,” according to a statement from his office quoted by Times of Israel.
Bennett also alluded to Israeli “increasing the pressure,” but did not provide specifics with regard to what that means on an operational or strategic level.
IDF Chief of Staf Major General Aviv Kochavi joined Bennett on the tour.
“The mullahs in Iran sit and send octopus arms to terrorize the citizens of Israel,” said Bennett, according to Arutz 7, referring to Iran-backed terror proxies, such as Hezbollah in Lebanon and Islamic Jihad and Hamas in Gaza.
While Israel is believed to have carried out hundreds of strikes on targets in Syria, many of which were bases operated or staffed by Iranian personnel, the Islamic Republic continues to amass troops and military assets on Israel’s doorstep.
Israel, for its part, has repeatedly made it clear that it will not tolerate Iranian forces near its borders.