Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu hinted that Israel carried out a daytime airstrike against Syria, hours after a response from Syria that triggered the Iron Dome Missile defence system.
“We have a permanent policy: To strike at the Iranian entrenchment in Syria and hurt whoever tries to hurt us. This policy does not change whether I am in Israel or on a historic visit to Chad. This policy is permanent,” Netanyahu said in N’Djamena, the capital of Chad, on Sunday as he was about to board an airplane back to Israel.
Syrian state media reported Sunday that Syrian military air defences thwarted an Israeli airstrike of some 10 missiles fired at the Damascus International Airport. Israel targeted the airport less than two weeks ago, striking an Iranian weapons way station.
Israel has been more direct in recent weeks about acknowledging airstrikes on Syria. Outgoing Israeli defence forces chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot told the New York Times earlier this month that Israel launched thousands of attacks on Syria during his four years in the position.
Following the attempted airstrike on Syria, Israel’s Iron Dome missile defence system intercepted a rocket fired from Syria toward the Northern Golan Heights.
The rockets were ground-to-ground missiles and not anti-aircraft missiles, meaning they were fired at Israel on purpose, according to Haaretz.
