Iran anger at Israeli strikes on Syria

By Nathan Morley

Israel launched strikes on what it claimed were Iranian military targets inside Syria – they said the action was in response to rockets being fired at Israeli military positions in the Golan Heights.

In a statement, the Iranian Foreign Ministry called the strikes a “blatant violation of Syria's sovereignty.”

“The international community's silence encourages Israel's aggression. Syria has every right to defend itself,” the statement added. On Thursday, Israeli jets destroyed intelligence sites, weapons storage centres, and Syrian air defence systems.

Jerusalem has repeatedly warned that any Iranian strike on Israel from territory in Syria would lead to a ‘major response.’ The Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman said President Assad should ‘throw the Iranians out.’

The Iranian military has been supporting President Bashar al-Assad in his fight against a civil uprising and insurgents.

In response to the raids, Moscow, which also supports Assad, called on both Israel and Iran to show restraint.