Speaking while touring the Israeli side of the occupied Golan Heights, Lieberman said Israel does not “look for friction. we did not come to the Iranian border, they came here”.
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The escalation of tensions between the two longtime adversaries has sparked global concerns.
He wants European companies to be able to continue trade with Iran despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to re-impose sanctions. Dr Cumin says that New Zealand should also condemn Iran’s actions and consider if allowing them to acquire nuclear weapons is truly in the interests of the world.
Israel’s defense minister said that Israeli warplanes had destroyed “nearly all” of Iran’s military infrastructure in Syria after Iran launched 20 rockets at Israeli-held territory, none reaching their targets. And Israel’s response was its largest military engagement in Syria in 45 years – since the Yom Kippur war of 1973.
An aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday that Moscow has no current plans to supply an advanced air defense system to Syria. There were no casualties.
Frictions between Iran and Israel have escalated in recent months as the war in Syria winds down and parties to the conflict consolidate gains.
Mr Qasemi said Israel “cannot stand peace and stability in the region and sees its own safety in making the region all the more unstable”.
Russian Federation and Iran have been allies in the Syrian war, defending President Bashar Assad. Iran ended up losing more than 50 military targets, and Israel’s message to Tehran-to exit Syria immediately-received a powerful boost.
The strikes were the heaviest carried out by Israel on Syria in decades.
“The holy system of Islamic Republic will step up its missile capabilities day by day so that Israel, this occupying regime, will become sleepless and the nightmare will constantly haunt it that if it does anything foolish, we will raze Tel Aviv and Haifa to the ground”, the hard-line cleric said during Friday sermons.
Analysts have predicted further escalations following President Donald Trump’s withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal, which will see US sanctions re-imposed on Tehran. Iran publicly admitted to the death of only 18 soldiers there, but Syrian sources say the number was closer to 200. Israel said it was responding to rocket attacks against military positions in the occupied Golan Heights.
“Getting rid of the Iranians, do you get the opportunity to start another life”, – said the Minister of defence of Israel.
It would be a smart move for Iran’s leaders now to back off.
Former Mideast negotiator Dennis Ross, speaking on NPR, said Trump’s decision to abrogate the terms of the nuclear deal is likely spurring Iran to show the United States that it will pay a price.
“Twenty rockets were fired”, he noted.
Trump pulled the USA out of the 2015 accord on Tuesday.
Saudi Arabia, a long-time foe of Israel, is the main religious and regional rival of Iran, with the two powerhouses also on opposing sides of conflicts in Yemen, Iraq and Lebanon.
But Israel had already become increasingly anxious about Iran’s military support of Syria.
Likewise, he did not think Israel was in a better position after Trump’s withdrawal, saying: “If Iran is “Trumped” it will retaliate against Israel…”
The options for Iran would then be either to fight bitterly in the hope of a repeat of 2006, when Israel attacked Hezbollah in Lebanon but failed to eradicate it, or agree to a trade-off with the U.S. and Israel. Iran is institutionalizing its military presence there, to the distress of Israel, which has vowed to block the establishment of a permanent Iranian foothold.
One thing the Iranians would be smart to consider is the growing friendship between Israel and Saudi Arabia, which is largely based on the enemy they share in Iran.
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The Trump administration portrayed its rejection of that agreement as a response, in part, to Tehran’s interventions in the Middle East, underpinning Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s tough line towards Iran.
