Israeli Minister's Warning: Iran's Aggression Through Syria Will Lead to Assad's End

Yuval Steinitz, Israel's Energy Minister, stated that if Syria "once again allows Iran and its allies to attack Israel from Syria, it will be the end of Bashar Assad and Israel will destroy him." Mr. Steinitz made this warning on Monday, May 6, during an interview with the television section of the Ynet news site, emphasizing that "Israel will bring down both Bashar Assad and his regime." This warning came a day after a security-political cabinet meeting in Israel that focused on potential scenarios in the event of a confrontation with Iran. Yuval Steinitz is one of the few members of the security cabinet and a close politician to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and his views often reflect those of the Prime Minister. In the Ynet interview, he also mentioned that Mr. Netanyahu will tell Russian President Vladimir Putin during their meeting on Wednesday that "everyone must understand Israel's red lines, and anyone interested in Bashar Assad's survival must tell him that he is obliged to prevent missile attacks and drone incursions from Syria into Israel." According to Mr. Steinitz, "Assad can allow or disallow attacks on Israel from Syria; he can allow or disallow missiles, anti-aircraft systems, and drones (from Iran) to reach Syria, and if he allows it, he must know that a label of revenge will be stamped on his forehead; Assad cannot remain calm in his palace while rebuilding his regime and allow Syrian territory to become a launch pad for attacks on Israel; our message is that simple." He evaded answering the question from Ynet about "how to 'destroy' Bashar Assad," but stated that "we previously faced this puzzle regarding Lebanon: if Hezbollah attacks us from Lebanon, should we only attack Hezbollah or Lebanon... What happened in Lebanon against Hezbollah (in recent years) was severe enough, and if we do not prevent the consolidation of Iran's military presence in Syria, we will face a Hezbollah that is multiplied against us." This Israeli official also commented on Israel's rear readiness in case the Israel-Iran crisis turns into war, saying, "Absolute readiness cannot exist." Mr. Netanyahu stated twice on Sunday, during his government meeting and then in a rare meeting with foreign media representatives in Israel, that confronting Iran is better done now than postponed. According to him, losses must be prevented as soon as possible because the damage from such a confrontation later would be greater for Israel. The Israeli Prime Minister said that his country is "determined to prevent Iranian aggression - even if the price is confrontation." According to Mr. Netanyahu, "the Iranian Revolutionary Guards have increased the shipment of missiles and more advanced weapons, including attack drones and ground-to-ground missiles, to Syria in recent months with the aim of harming us, both on the front and in the rear, and their anti-missile systems can endanger our aircraft." He also added that his country does not seek to escalate the crisis but is "prepared for any eventuality and maintains freedom of action in self-defense." Israeli television networks reported on Sunday evening, citing "security officials," simultaneous reports of the army's preparations to respond to Iranian missile attacks on northern Israel. According to these reports, based on planning by Qassem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guards, missile attacks were supposed to occur a day after the parliamentary elections in Lebanon, which took place on Sunday, May 5. These reports also mentioned Amir Ali Hajizadeh, who has been the commander of the aerospace force of the Revolutionary Guards for the past nine years, as one of the senior military officials in Iran coordinating the transfer of weapons to Syria and planning potential attacks on Israel. Israeli officials told reporters that revealing this plan might deter Iran from executing its intentions or postpone it to another opportunity to avenge the deaths of its military personnel in recent attacks attributed to Israel in Syria. Israel emphasizes that Iran's action of sending a combat drone from Syrian airspace to northern Israel on February 10 last year, with the mission to attack an Israeli military target, marked Iran's direct entry into confrontation with Israel for the first time in the 39 years of the Islamic Republic's existence. Iran claimed that "Israel has a history of lying." Israel did not accept responsibility for the attacks on April 8 against the T-4 base and on May 1 against the bases in Hama and Aleppo, but Russia attributed the T-4 attack to Israel, and the United States also considered the attacks on Hama and Aleppo to be bombings carried out by Israeli fighter jets. In both attacks, according to multiple reports, at least 25 Iranian soldiers dispatched to Syria were killed. While Ali Akbar Velayati, an advisor to the leader, and Ali Shamkhani, secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, stated regarding the April 8 attack and Aladdin Boroujerdi, head of the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of the Iranian Parliament, mentioned that revenge will be taken against Israel, Bashar Assad, whom Israeli officials threatened with "destruction," remained completely silent on this matter.