Israeli opposition leader calls Syria strike ‘unnecessary, hasty’

JERUSALEM / ISTANBUL

Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid on Monday called Israel’s recent strike on Syria “unnecessary and hasty,” criticizing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government and renewing calls for early elections.

In an interview with Israeli Army Radio, Lapid said the response “was in the wrong place” and suggested Israel was acting without a coherent regional strategy.

“It seemed as if we were drunk on power. Now we strike anywhere in the Middle East without a clear policy,” he said.

He was referring to Israel’s recent airstrike on Syrian military positions and infrastructure in Damascus, which the government claimed was aimed at protecting Druze communities.

Lapid also urged early elections, saying: “Everyone says that once we return from recess, we’ll head straight to elections. We must go to elections to save ourselves from this terrible government.”

The Knesset recess begins July 27 and extends through October, during which parliamentary sessions are suspended.

Although the current government’s term officially ends next year, early elections could be triggered if a majority in the Knesset supports it or if Netanyahu agrees to dissolve parliament.

So far, Netanyahu has rejected calls for early elections, citing the ongoing war in Gaza as a reason to avoid political disruption. Earlier this month, the opposition attempted to advance a motion to dissolve the Knesset but failed to secure the necessary support.

On July 13, clashes erupted between Bedouin Arab tribes and armed Druze factions in Suwayda, southern Syria. The Israeli airstrikes followed days later, but most Druze leaders inside Syria rejected foreign intervention and reaffirmed their support for a unified Syrian state.

Israel’s military actions have intensified since the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December.