Netanyahu: ‘Israel will hurt anyone who tries to hurt us’

Following an Iranian strike on Israeli territory on Sunday, Netanyahu warned, “We have a permanent policy: To strike at Iranian entrenchment in Syria and hurt whoever tries to hurt us.”

By World Israel News Staff

Addressing reporters at the dedication of the Ramon Airport in Eilat today, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu commented on a missile attack launched by Iranians from Syria on the Golan Heights on Sunday.

“Last night the air force strongly attacked Iranian targets in Syria after Iran launched a missile from there at our territory,” the prime minister said.

The missile to which Netanyahu referred was intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome anti-missile defense system. On Sunday, Syria claimed its Russian-supplied surface-to-air systems had thwarted an Israeli air strike in the southern region of the war-torn nation, a contention bolstered by the Russian military.

Following the Iranian missile attack, Israel pummeled multiple Iranian and Syrian targets, with the death toll from the strikes reportedly reaching 11 combatants.

At the Ramon Airport, Netanyahu warned, “We have a permanent policy: To strike at Iranian entrenchment in Syria and hurt whoever tries to hurt us. This policy does not change whether I am in Israel or on an historic visit to Chad. This policy is permanent.”

He added, “We are acting against Iran and against the Syrian forces that abet the Iranian aggression. Whoever tries to hurt us – we hurt them. Whoever threatens to destroy us will bear the full responsibility.”

The flare-up arrives amid saber-rattling on the part of Iranian military officials, who routinely threaten to destroy Israel.

On Monday, for instance, state media quoted Iranian Air Force Commander Aziz Nasir-Zadeh, who said that his nation is ready for “the decisive war against Israel,” and is preparing for the Jewish state’s “elimination.”

In response, Netanyahu declared, “We will not ignore such acts of aggression as Iran attempts to entrench itself militarily in Syria and given explicit statements by Iran that it intends to destroy Israel, as the commander of the Iranian air force has just said.”