Lieberman threatens to ‘destroy’ Syrian air defense systems

After Friday’s attempt by Syria to down IAF planes, defense minister says in next incident Israel will have no ‘hesitation’

ed note–all can absolutely rest assured that the recent events involving the act of war against Syria by the Jewish state was/is directly tied to the failed attempt on the part of Netanyahu to sway Russian President Putin into seeing things ‘Bibi’s way’ at their recent meeting in Moscow. The fact that Nutty Netty tried to ‘Purimize’ Putin but with absolutely no luck, followed by Putin’s subtle yet clear warning to Netanyahu that Israel stands on the brink of seeing history repeat itself vis a vis the destruction of Jerusalem by the Roman Empire as outlined in Josephus’ book ‘Wars of the Jews’ which Putin gave Netanyahu as a ‘Purim’ gift indicates that the recent attack by Israel should not be seen as some isolated and disconnected event. Furthermore, all should understand as well that Netanyahu ‘got the message’ loud and clear from Putin and decided to utilize this attack on Syria as a means of telling the Russians that the recent warning about their impending implosion means nothing to them and that they will move forward with their own imperical plans without any hesitation whatsoever, irrespective of the consequences.

Times of Israel

Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman on Sunday threatened to destroy Syrian air defense systems after they fired ground-to-air missiles at Israeli warplanes carrying out strikes.

“The next time the Syrians use their air defense systems against our planes we will destroy them without the slightest hesitation,” Lieberman said on Israeli public radio.

Israeli fighter jets hit several targets in Syria on Friday, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying the strikes targeted weapons bound for the Hezbollah terror group in Lebanon.

Syria’s military claimed it downed one of the Israeli planes and hit another as they were carrying out the predawn strikes near the famed desert city of Palmyra that it recaptured from jihadists this month.

The IDF denied that any of its planes were hit. The Syrian government has made similar claims in the past.

An Israeli army statement said “several anti-aircraft missiles” were fired following the raid but that none hit their targets.

One missile was intercepted by Israel’s Arrow missile defense battery, military officials said, in the first reported use of the advanced system.

It was the most serious incident between the two countries since the Syrian civil war began six years ago.

In April 2016, Netanyahu admitted for the first time that Israel had attacked dozens of convoys transporting weapons in Syria destined for Hezbollah, which fought a 2006 war with Israel and is now battling alongside the Damascus regime.

Israel does not usually confirm or deny individual raids, but it may have been led to do so this time by the circumstances of the incident.