Iran’s military chief of staff Gen. Mohammad Baqeri has warned Israel against further violations of Syrian airspace, saying Tehran may confront Israeli forces if it happens again.
“It’s not acceptable for the Zionist regime to violate the land and airspace of Syria anytime it wants,” Baqeri said during a news conference with his Syrian counterpart Ali Abdullah Ayoub in Damascus on Wednesday. He promised to increase cooperation with the Syrian military “to confront our common enemies, the Zionists and terrorists.”
The IDF launched airstrikes against the battery after it allegedly fired on Israeli reconnaissance aircraft.
Israel has said it struck Hezbollah and Syrian military facilities and weapons depots about 100 times during Syria’s six-year civil war, in a bid to prevent the transfer of weapons from Tehran to the Iran-backed group.
Analyst Comment: We’re watching developments in Syria regarding Iran, which is heavily influencing the Syrian regime, Hezbollah and Israel moving forward, now that the civil war is over for all practical purposes because we believe this is the most likely next war trigger in the Middle East.
Why it’s on our radar: Information in this article helps satisfy Priority Intelligence Requirement 4: What are the latest indicators of a new Middle East war? Each week in our Strategic Intelligence Summary, we gauge the likelihood and scope of conflict with Russia, China, North Korea, and in the Middle East, and track the latest developments in each region. Subscribe here to receive our premium intelligence products prepared by Intelligence and special operations veterans.
