Israeli officials admit striking Syria airbase in April

JERUSALEM/TEHRAN

Israeli officials on Friday admitted responsibility for attacking a military airbase in Syria’s Homs province last month that left seven Iranian soldiers dead, Israeli daily Haaretz reported Friday.

According to the newspaper, the officials justified the strike by saying Iran had transferred surface-to-air missiles -- with a range of 110 kilometers -- to the airbase shortly before the attack.

Haaretz did not identify the Israeli officials with whom it had spoken.

The erosion of Iran’s long-range missile capacity comes as part of Israel’s ongoing effort to prevent Iran from acquiring a permanent military presence in Syria, according to Haaretz.

Late Thursday, Iranian officials condemned “repeated” Israeli airstrikes on positions inside Syrian territory.

“Repeated attacks on Syrian territory constitute a blatant violation of the country’s national sovereignty,” Iran’s Mehr news agency quoted Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi as saying.

Ghasemi went on to criticize the international community for “remaining silent in the face of Israel’s continued aggression, effectively condoning its aggressive policies”.

JERUSALEM/TEHRAN

According to the newspaper, the officials justified the strike by saying Iran had transferred surface-to-air missiles -- with a range of 110 kilometers -- to the airbase shortly before the attack.

Haaretz did not identify the Israeli officials with whom it had spoken.

The erosion of Iran’s long-range missile capacity comes as part of Israel’s ongoing effort to prevent Iran from acquiring a permanent military presence in Syria, according to Haaretz.

Late Thursday, Iranian officials condemned “repeated” Israeli airstrikes on positions inside Syrian territory.

Ghasemi went on to criticize the international community for “remaining silent in the face of Israel’s continued aggression, effectively condoning its aggressive policies”.