Israel: We Will Act Against Weapons Factories Built by Iran in Lebanon

Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman stated that his country is fully aware of reports regarding the establishment of "secret weapons manufacturing plants for Hezbollah" in Lebanon with the help of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, and is taking necessary actions. According to the Jerusalem Post, on Sunday, July 2, Lieberman announced this concerning the situation at Israel's borders with Syria and Lebanon, stating that his country considers reports of the establishment of secret weapons factories for Hezbollah in Lebanon by Iran as a significant phenomenon. Lieberman indicated that Israel does not wish to intervene in the Syrian civil war, adding that Israel's "red lines" must be respected. The Defense Minister identified the transfer of advanced weapons to Hezbollah via Syria and the "presence of Iranians at the borders" as two red lines from Israel's perspective. The Jerusalem Post reported that General Hertzi Halevi, head of the Israeli military intelligence, had recently stated that Hezbollah, with technological assistance from Iran, has established a weapons manufacturing plant and is deploying the produced weapons in southern Lebanon. In this context, the Israeli Defense Minister said, "Precision weapons like missiles pose a challenge; these are weapons that can hit deep inside Israeli territory." Nevertheless, according to Lieberman, Israel has greater military capability compared to its conflict with Hezbollah in 2006. He also stated that any agreement to end the Syrian war that "legitimizes the axis of evil" and does not guarantee the expulsion of Iran, Hezbollah, and Bashar al-Assad from Syria is "unacceptable" to Israel. Lieberman announced that Israel would assist in ending the Syrian war only if Iran, Hezbollah, and Assad, who "kills his own people and uses chemical weapons against them," are expelled from Syria, adding, "The survival of Assad in Syria means the continued presence of Iran and Hezbollah; this is contrary to Israel's security interests." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also recently warned multiple times about the "stabilization" of Iranian military presence at the Syrian border with Israel, emphasizing that his country will not tolerate this situation or the strengthening of Hezbollah's military capabilities in Syria or Lebanon. Iranian officials have repeatedly emphasized the necessity of destroying Israel since the victory of the Islamic Revolution in 1979. In this regard, the United Nations, the European Union, and countries including the United States and France have strongly condemned the severe verbal attacks of Iranian leaders against the existence of Israel. In this context, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, stated in a meeting with ambassadors from Islamic countries during Eid al-Fitr that fighting against the Israeli government is "necessary and obligatory for the entire Islamic world." The leader of the Islamic Republic has always expressed hostility towards the Israeli government and recently stated regarding Israel, "You will not see the next 25 years, and God willing, by then there will be nothing left of the Zionist regime." Prior to these statements, Yahya Rahim Safavi, his military advisor, reported on Hezbollah's missile readiness to fire towards Israel, stating, "Hezbollah forces have become a powerful force to confront Israel." In the past, the United Nations, the European Union, and countries including the United States and France have strongly condemned the severe verbal attacks of Iranian leaders against the existence of Israel. Gary Korn, Israel's ambassador to Russia, also reacted to these threats, warning that in the event of a real threat, Israel is prepared to carry out military operations against Hezbollah and other Iranian-backed groups in Syrian territory. "Our opponents are not our friends, but we treat the wounded residents at the border," Lieberman warned Syria, adding, "Syria and Lebanon are aware of Israel's military capabilities and know that testing us is not a good idea." He stated that Israel is "not seeking to conduct military operations in the north or south; Israel's policy is based on deterrence," but added, "A mistake at the border could lead to conflict." In the past week, mortar fire from Syrian territory into northern Israel has prompted a rapid military response from Israel against Syrian army positions. According to the Jerusalem Post, on the evening of Saturday, July 1, two more mortars hit Israel, which, like the previous four incidents, did not result in casualties. Israel confirmed that the mortar and grenade impacts on its territory were part of the Syrian civil war between opposition forces and Bashar al-Assad's army and were not intentionally targeting Israel. The "Fateh al-Sham" forces have recently engaged in intense battles with Bashar al-Assad's soldiers and supporters of the Syrian government in the Quneitra province near the Israeli borders to gain control of this area. Nevertheless, the Israeli Air Force and ground artillery have targeted Syrian army positions and tanks in recent days. Syria had requested Israel to cease these attacks last week, but Israel rejected this warning. In response to a Jerusalem Post question about whether Israel prefers control of the Syrian borders to be in the hands of Bashar al-Assad's government or his opponents, Lieberman stated that the Syrian opponents are not friends of Israel either. They are groups similar to Al-Qaeda. Meanwhile, he added, "We are in contact with the Syrian residents at the border who 'understand Israel' and are delivering medical and food aid to Syrians who 'have nothing to eat.'" Lieberman stated, "We have not hidden and do not hide that Israel has treated more than three thousand wounded from the Syrian war in its hospitals in the past and present." The Israeli Defense Minister noted that the Syrians treated in Israel are "all local residents of the border villages," and as a result of this performance, "they have understood that Israel is their best neighbor." The Syrian civil war has been ongoing for seven and a half years, leaving hundreds of thousands dead and millions displaced.