Israeli Military Sees No Hizbullah Reaction to Syria Strike, Mulls 'Cooperation' with Lebanese Army
Israel doesn't expect a Syrian or Lebanese response to an airstrike in Syria attributed to Israel earlier this week since they are too tied up with that country's bloody civil war and can't afford to open another front, a senior Israeli military officer said Wednesday.
The officer said Hizbullah fighters had the capability, but not the motivation, at this time to harm Israel and there was no "logic" to picking a fight with Israel while it was knee-deep in battling a Sunni insurgency.
"I don't see any reason why in 2015 Hizbullah will turn to Israel, there is no logic to that way of thinking," he said in a briefing with reporters at military headquarters. "But if you are talking about capacity and the IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) should be ready to deal with any capability of any one of its enemies. The capability of Hizbullah is growing every year."
He spoke on condition of anonymity according to military guidelines.
The Syrian military says Israeli warplanes struck near Damascus' international airport Sunday, as well as outside a town close to the Lebanese border.
Since Syria's conflict began in March 2011, Israel has carried out several airstrikes in Syria that have targeted sophisticated weapons systems, including Russian-made anti-aircraft missiles and Iranian-made missiles, believed to be destined for Hizbullah, with whom Israel battled in an intense month-long war in 2006.
Sunday's strike looked to be of similar nature.
Israel has tried to stay out of the war in neighboring Syria, but it has repeatedly threatened to take military action to prevent Syria from transferring sophisticated weapons to its ally Hizbullah.
As is its practice, Israel neither confirmed nor denied the most recent report. But Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon cryptically warned Tuesday that Israel "will not allow red lines to be crossed that endanger Israel's security."
"Anyone who tries to arm our enemies should know that we can go anywhere, anytime, in any way, in order to foil his plans. We will not compromise on this," he said, without addressing the airstrike directly.
The Israeli military officer also said Wednesday that the Jewish state is mulling the possibility of starting “undeclared cooperation” with the Lebanese army against the extremist Islamist groups that are operating in the region.
Tel Aviv is “contemplating the possibility of engaging in undeclared cooperation with the Lebanese army against the Sunni extremist groups despite the official state of war between the two countries,” the official said.
“The U.S.-led international coalition has gathered forces and parties that have an interest in fighting the common enemy, and accordingly Israel is also seeking to expand its security ties with Egypt, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority,” he added.
Source: Associated Press, Naharnet
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