Netanyahu backs Syria strikes, says similar policy should be directed at Iran

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday expressed his country’s support for the US-led bombardment in Syria, calling for a similar response toward Iran.

America and its allies the United Kingdom and France launched strikes against chemical weapons facilities in Syria allegedly used to attack civilians in eastern Ghouta on April 7.

Speaking to ministers at the beginning of the weekly cabinet meeting, Netanyahu said he told British Prime Minister Theresa May on Saturday that the same response should be shown to other “terrorist states and organizations,” referring to Iran.

“I told her that the important international message of the attack is zero tolerance for the use of non-conventional weapons,” he stated.

“I added that this policy needs to also be expressed in preventing terrorist states and groups from having nuclear abilities,” Netanyahu continued.

The Israeli Prime Minister singled out Iran as “the main element that is subverting the Middle East.”

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad “must understand that when he allows Iran and its [Hezbollah] proxies to establish a military presence in Syria, he is endangering both Syria and the stability of the entire region,” he said.

On Friday night, US President Donald Trump announced that America had joined allies France and the UK in launching “precision strikes” against the Syrian regime, directed at “targets associated with the chemical weapons capabilities of [the] Syrian dictator.”

The US President’s highly-anticipated announcement came at the end of a tense week as Washington, and its allies have been in contact, deciding on joint action against Assad.