In a span of a week, another Israeli minister from the 12-member security cabinet has made tough statements about Iran’s presence in Syria, this time threatening President Bashar al-Assad.
Energy and Water Minister Yuval Steinitz said on Monday, Assad is the “weak link in the Iranian-Shi’a axis” and he should not forget that when allowing Iran to expand its military presence in the country, reports The Jerusalem Post.
In an Israeli Army radio interview, Steinetz threatened action against Assad, if Iran crosses Israel’s red lines, including turning Syria into a “forward” base for the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) or allowing Hezbollah to upgrade its missile capabilities to more precise warhead delivery vehicles.
“Assad and Hezbollah are the same, and if there will be an attack against us, we will not be obligated to act only against the source of the attack,” he said. “We will reserve the right to choose the right front’, Steinetz emphasized.
A week earlier, Education Minister Naftali Bennett, who is also a member of the security cabinet, had told a conference in Tel Aviv that action must be taken against the Islamic Republic directly.