REPORT: Syrian Minister: Israel strike opens up "all possibilities"

             
An Israeli official confirmed on Sunday that the Israeli overnight strike in Syria targeted Iranian weapons.                     

In this regard, the Syrian state news agency SANA, citing initial reports, said early Sunday that Israeli missiles struck a military research center near the capital Damascus.        

SANA said explosions went off at the Jamraya research center near Damascus, causing casualties. "Initial reports point to these explosions being a result of Israeli missiles that targeted the research center in Jamraya," SANA said.                                                                   

A Syrian activist group, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, also reported large explosions in the area of Jamraya, a research facility northwest of Damascus, about 15 kilometers from the Lebanese border.                                        

In turn, a Western intelligence source said that an Israeli overnight strike in Syria targeted Iranian-supplied missiles to Hezbollah.                                  

"In last night's attack, as in the previous one, what was attacked were stores of Fateh-110 missiles that were in transit from Iran to Hezbollah," the source said.                          

The airstrikes come as Washington considers how to respond to indications that the Syrian regime may have used chemical weapons in its civil war. President Barack Obama has described the use of such weapons as a "red line," and the administration is weighing its options including possible military action.                   

Syrian Information Minister Omran Zoabi said on Sunday that Israeli air strikes against three targets on the outskirts of Damascus "open the door to all possibilities."    

The minister's comments at a press conference came after an emergency cabinet meeting organized to respond to what a Western source called a new strike on Iranian missiles bound for Lebanon's Hezbollah. Sunday's attack is the third Israeli strike this year on Syrian soil.                              

On the other hand, activist groups said that rebels have occupied parts of a military air base in northern Syria after days of fighting.                       

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said rebels moved deep inside Mannagh air base, near the border with Turkey, while under fire from government warplanes.                               

The Aleppo Media Center says rebels captured a tank unit Sunday inside the base. It added that the commander of the base was killed.                               

The Observatory also reported heavy fighting inside the contested town of Qussair near the Lebanese border. Troops captured several villages and towns surrounding Qussair in the past month.              


POSITIONS:              

The Syrian vice Foreign Miniter Faisal al-Meqdad said that the Israeli airstrike represents a declaration of war against Syria and an alliance between Israel and the terrorists.           

In a statement to CNN, Meqdad said that Damascus will respond to the Israeli attack at the right time and in the right way.                      

In turn, the Syrian Foreign Ministry declared that the Israeli attack serves as a military support to the terrorist groups after failing to achieve to take control on the ground.               

For its part, the Free Syrian Army said that “the country is being attacked by Bashar Assad and Israel.”                                  

However, the Arab League condemned the Israeli air strike launched against Syria, calling on the UN Security Council to take immediate action in this regard.                

Iran condemned an Israeli attack on Syria and urged countries in the region to stand against the action, the Fars news agency reported on Sunday.                                    

The Fars news agency quoted Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast as saying Iran condemned Israel's strike on Syria and said it was part of an effort by Israel to create instability and insecurity in the region. He urged countries in the region to stand against the "assault," Fars reported.                    

For his part, the Iranian Commander of the Land Force Brigadier General Ahmad Reza Bordstan said that Iran is ready to train the Syrian army if Damascus seeks such help.    

On the other hand, the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon expressed "grave concern over reports of air strikes in Syria by the Israeli Air Force".

"At this time, the United Nations does not have details of the reported incidents, nor is the United Nations in a position to independently verify what has occurred," he added.

The Secretary-General urges respect for national sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries in the region, and adherence to all relevant Security Council resolutions.


AP/REUTERS/LBCI  


To watch the full report, please click on the video above