Israeli warplanes struck Syrian air defense systems and other military sites in the countries south Tuesday, citing alleged “future threats.”
Syrian state media had said Israel hit the southern province of Daraa, with a war monitor reporting at least 17 strikes on positions of the former Syrian army, including an observation platform and tanks.
A statement from the Israeli military said its “fighter jets struck radars and detection assets used for constructing aerial intelligence assessments” as well as “command positions and military sites containing weapons and military equipment belonging to the Syrian regime.”
Since the overthrow of longtime dictator Bashar Assad in December, Israel has carried out hundreds of airstrikes in Syria and deployed troops to a U.N.-patrolled buffer zone on the strategic Golan Heights.
The Israeli military statement said that the targets hit overnight “were struck in order to eliminate future threats.”
“The presence of these assets in southern Syria posed a threat to the State of Israel and IDF (military) activities,” it said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said last month that southern Syria must be completely demilitarized, warning that his government would not accept the presence of the forces of the new government near its territory.
The latest strikes came soon after Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said world leaders should be wary of the new leadership in Syria.
Saar’s comments came after nearly 1,000 people were reportedly killed during Syrian security operations against the remnants of the Assad regime.
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