CBS/AP/ January 31, 2013, 10:18 AM

Syria, Iran threaten Israel over air strike

Israeli soldiers man an abandoned military outpost overlooking the ceasefire line between Israel and Syria near Alonei Habshan in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, Nov. 15, 2012.

Israeli soldiers man an abandoned military outpost overlooking the ceasefire line between Israel and Syria near Alonei Habshan in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, Nov. 15, 2012. / Getty

BEIRUT Syria threatened Thursday to retaliate for an Israeli air strike and its ally Iran said there will be repercussions for the Jewish state over the attack.

U.S. officials have said Israel launched a rare air strike inside Syria on Wednesday, targeting a convoy believed to be carrying anti-aircraft weapons bound for Hezbollah, the powerful Lebanese militant group allied with Syria and Iran.

Syria and Hezbollah, however, say the Israeli strike hit a research center about seven miles north of Damascus. Israel has not confirmed the strike.

Syrian Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Abdul-Karim Ali said Damascus "has the option and the capacity to surprise in retaliation."

In Iran, the semi-official Fars news agency quoted Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian as saying the raid on Syria will have significant implications for Israel.

Hezbollah condemned the attack as "barbaric aggression" and Syrian ally Russia said it appeared to be an unprovoked attack on a sovereign nation.

In Israel, a lawmaker close to hard-line Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stopped short of confirming involvement in the strike. But he hinted that Israel could carry out similar missions in the future.

The Syrian ambassador said he could not predict when Damascus would retaliate. He told Hezbollah's al-Ahd news website that it was up to the relevant authorities to prepare the retaliation and choose the time and place.

Iran's Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi condemned the air strike on state television, calling it a clear violation of Syria's sovereignty. Iran is Syria's strongest ally in the Middle East, and has provided President Bashar Assad's government with military and political backing for years.

Russia, Syria's strongest international ally, said Moscow is taking "urgent measures to clarify the situation in all its details."

"If this information is confirmed, we have a case of unprovoked attacks on targets in the territory of a sovereign state, which grossly violates the U.N. Charter and is unacceptable," Russia's Foreign Ministry said in a statement. "Whatever the motives, this is not justified."

Hezbollah, closely allied with Syria and Iran, said it "expresses full solidarity with Syria's command, army and people."


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18 Comments Add a Comment
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REDBONE888 says:
Israel if possible if your attacked could you take out a couple million of them this time thanx animals like them the world doesn't need just let your rockets fall anywhere like they do .that rock they all pray around would be a good target to.
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Plumbline9 says:
Russia and it allies will not prevail....

........Ezekiel 38:16.........
You will come up against My people Israel like a cloud, to cover the land. It will be in the latter days that I will bring you against My land, so that the nations may know Me, when I am hallowed in you, O Gog, before their eyes."
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REDBONE888 replies:
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ya ya screw allah and the rock you animals pray around
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Rat_Zinger says:
True, not, misdirection, or any other intrpretation you'd like to put on it, a just- published analysis from Reuters and the Jerusalem Post is worth a red ...

Report: IAF strike in Syria hit Iranian Guards
http://www.jpost.com/Defense/Article.aspx?id=301751
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rjs503 says:
It is truly amazing to see the ignorance displayed in many of these comments. It's an ovbious and sad display of the 'dumbing down' of the American people.
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TimeToEvolve says:
Israel is rapidly wearing out their welcome throughout the world. They may consider abandoning their country and moving somewhere else while someone will still take their sorry butts. Then Palestinians can have their land back and we will solve two problems.
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REDBONE888 replies:
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ya with them shooting rockets at civilians not caring who or what they hit what animals pure scum of the world oops wait i meant Palestinians sorry
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Jesus_to_ground_control says:
Israel at War

If Israel started the war in the Middle East I would be in accord with their will to be free. You can quote Jesus Christ on this.
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unclec18017 says:
Israel won't stand by and watch convoys of Syrian anti-aircaft weapons, missiles or chemical weapons be delivered to Hezbollah, to be used against them in future conflicts.

Israel's just watching and waitng; they've given notice they will take action to deal with these transfers of weapons. They're pushing the ayatollahs' buttons so they get an itchy trigger finger and decide to attack Israel in some fashion... then the fireworks will begin. And the ayatollahs will be humiliated when their nuclear facilties become balls of fire. If Tel Aviv is hit, I hope the ayatollahs have another place to hide, other than Tehran. And then there will be another chance for the Iranian people to over throw their dictators.

Forget all the legalities - it is war.
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MCR5 replies:
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What do you mean, if Tel Aviv is hit. It will be hit and hit hard. This will give cover to Israeli Arabs that have been treated like crap, to cause some havoc. A couple of well placed car bombs should do.
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sweetcakesmaria says:
Violence begets violence. When these other countries retaliate against Israel for its unwarranted attack on Syria, just remember that Israel is the one that started the hostilities.
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qyeteye replies:
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What hostilities are you referring to? Hezbollah missiles?
earth56 replies:
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SweetCakes and her selective memory
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econmagic says:
I think this is the worst time ever for Israel to be doing this. It can potentially help the current regime, if they play it right, and it could potentially lead to widening the conflict to the point where it will have implications for the whole world.
http://zoltansustainableecon.blogspot.com/2012/12/syria-spark-of-end-times.html
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Tsijon says:
I just hope that Israel can soon get back the rest of the land that the Holy One has given to their forefathers. There is still an occupation and conspiracy going on in the middle east, and it is not Israel who is doing the real trespassing. That was probably a very merciful airstrike considering where those missiles would have ended up. Thank God!
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