In Rare Admission, Israel Takes Responsibility for Attacks in Syria

A top Israeli foreign minister has admitted that Israel was involved in recent attacks in Syria, claiming that the attacks were part of a strategic effort against Hezbollah.

A Syrian state news agency reported on Wednesday that Israel was responsible for bombings that occurred near a military airport in Damascus. Avigdor Lieberman, Israel’s Defense Minister, was unwilling to specify which attacks were carried out by the Israeli forces, according to an official statement. The attacks were intended to prevent “advanced weapons, military equipment and weapons of mass destruction” from falling into the hands of Israel’s arch-enemy, Hezbollah, the Times of Israel reported.

Israeli officials have previously expressed concern that Hezbollah could receive WMDs or chemical weapons from the Syrian regime. Still, Lieberman is hopeful that a peaceful settlement can be reached in nearby Syria, even if he does not expect violence and tensions with Palestinians to stop anytime soon.

Lieberman stated that he would be open to a peace deal in Syria of any variety, as long as it does not include Iran or Syrian President Bashar Assad.