Israeli airstrikes target Syrian chemical-weapons systems
Summary
- Israel has used the chaos in Syria as an opportunity to seize a buffer zone with Syria and destroy strategic assets, afraid they could end up in rebel hands.
TEL AVIV—Israel said it had struck chemical-weapons caches and other missile and air-defense systems in Syria on Monday, taking advantage of the chaos there to destroy what it sees as dangerous assets that could fall into rebel hands.
Since the stunning assault by Syrian rebels that brought down the regime of President Bashar al-Assad over the weekend, Israel said it has taken immediate steps to ensure the protection of its border amid the uncertainty engulfing the country. This includes striking targets across Syria and swiftly seizing a demilitarized buffer zone with Syria as well as adjacent points.
“What guides us is the security of the state of Israel and its citizens. Therefore we attacked strategic weapons, the residual chemical weapons capabilities, long-range missiles and rockets, so they won’t fall into the hands of radicals," Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said.
Israel isn’t the only country that has struck Syria since Assad’s fall. The U.S. hit more than 75 targets related to Islamic State on Sunday, including camps and operatives in central Syria, according to the U.S. Central Command.
“There should be no doubt—we will not allow ISIS to reconstitute and take advantage of the current situation in Syria," said Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla who heads Centcom, referring to Islamic State.
Israel sent troops into Syria on Saturday night to take over a demilitarized buffer zone in the Golan Heights that was created by a 1974 agreement that stationed United Nations peacekeepers there. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that the agreement with Syria was void after the fall of the regime and the abandonment of posts by Syrian soldiers.
Saar on Monday said armed men breached the buffer zone over the weekend and attacked a U.N. peacekeeping force near the border, violating the 1974 agreement. The U.N. didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Israeli military shared photos of soldiers on the Syrian side of the Hermon mountain, which was taken over by Israel on Sunday.
While Israel said the takeover was temporary, analysts said they couldn’t rule out it holding on to the territory for longer.
It isn’t clear Israeli troops will be able to maintain their positions atop the mountain during the winter without Israel building new infrastructure for them, said Amir Avivi, a former senior Israeli military official who is frequently updated by defense officials.
He said Israel quickly moved to those positions both to gain control of the highest ground as well as to send a message to Syrian militants not to get close.
“They are sending a message that we are here, don’t get near," Avivi said. “If you want to secure the Hermon, you need to control the high ground."
Write to Anat Peled at anat.peled@wsj.com and Dov Lieber at dov.lieber@wsj.com
