After reports in Arabic media that an IAF airstrike took out missiles in Syria on their way to Iran-proxy Hezbollah terrorists in Lebanon on Saturday, Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon (Likud) said Sunday Israel will block missiles on their way to Hezbollah - without directly taking credit for the strike.
Hosting a traditional post-Independence Day ceremony on Sunday attended by senior security officials and top IDF brass, including IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eizenkot, Ya'alon made an indirect confirmation of Israel's presumed role in the strike.
"Iran continues to try and arm Hezbollah, even in these very days, and it hopes to equip the Lebanese terrorist organization with advanced and precise weapons," said Ya'alon. "Members of the (Iranian) Revolutionary Guards and Hezbollah hope to do that by every way and means, while aware of the red lines that the state of Israel has placed, and has no intention of compromising on."
The defense minister stressed, "we won't allow a transfer of quality weapons to terrorist organizations, Hezbollah foremost among them, and we will know to reach it (the transfer - ed.) and its senders at all times and all places."
"We won't allow Iran and Hezbollah to establish a terrorist infrastructure on our border with Syria, and we will know to put our hands on all those who threaten citizens of Israel, along all our borders and even far from them."
According to Al Arabiya reports in Arabic on Sunday, the strike on Saturday took out long-range Scud missile depots in Syria's Qalamoun mountain range, an area with rampant weapons smuggling to Hezbollah in Lebanon.
The report said that divisions 155 and 165 of the Syrian army were hit by the strike, adding that last Wednesday another airstrike in the same area took out a missile convoy, evidently on its way to Hezbollah.
"Terror regime from Tehran"
Speaking about Iran's regional role as seen in its behavior vis-a-vis Hezbollah, Ya'alon added that "Iran is the most dangerous actor for the instability in the Middle East."
"It's recent actions in Yemen against the pro-Western government prove that the terror regime from Tehran continues to hoodwink the world," a reference to the deal being reached on Iran's nuclear program ahead of a June 30 deadline.
Ya'alon also made his first comments on the rocket attack from Gaza, which struck Israel last Thursday evening as Independence Day ended.
"Just at the end of Independence Day we were witnesses to how the security reality obligates us to act with responsibility and consideration, not to be tempted by easy and superficial solutions, to act according to the rule 'the last act, the first planned,'" said Ya'alon, quoting from the Lekha Dodi song traditionally sung on Shabbat eve.
The defense minister called "to respond sharply, clearly and firmly, but also not to draw from the hip."