Israel’s Prime Minister’s Bureau announced last night that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin, during which he reiterated Israel’s resolve ‘not to allow Iran to establish a military presence in Syria’. The Kremlin has also released a statement, in which it said that the discussion dealt with various issues, including what it called “the Israeli attack on the T-4 air base near the central Syrian city of Palmyra.” During their conversation, the Russian President stressed to the Israeli Prime Minister that “Syrian sovereignty should be respected and that actions that were liable to increase the country’s instability and endanger its security must be avoided.”
While Israel continues to remain silent on its alleged responsibility for the airstrike in Syria earlier this week, which claimed the lives of fourteen people, including four Iranians belonging to the Islamic Republic’s Revolutionary Guards; Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held top-level security consultations amid concern of an imminent escalation. During the meeting, members of Israel’s security cabinet and top defense officials voiced doubt of a viable confrontation with the Damascus regime; nevertheless, “Iranian threats to respond to the strike on the Syrian air-base are taken very seriously.” During the meeting, Prime Minister Netanyahu also indicated a positive trend amid “the dramatic events” across the region.
A senior Israeli defense official told TV7 that while “Israel continues to prepare itself against any threats directed at it,” the main concern stems from a possible response against Israel, “if the United States would decide to ‘punish the Assad regime’ for the use of chemical weapons.”