IDF spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari issued a stern warning to Iran on Monday, cautioning Tehran against exploiting the ongoing fighting between Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime and rebel forces to funnel Iranian weapons into the war-torn country.
“Israel is closely monitoring developments in Syria and observes that the Iranian regime is sending reinforcements to Syria," Hagari told Sky News Arabia in an interview.
Sunni rebels attacking Syrian regime in northwestern Syria
"Syria belongs to the Syrians, and we will ensure that Iran does not smuggle weapons to Lebanon and Hezbollah. We will act to prevent the smuggling of weapons to Lebanon and Hezbollah through Syria,” he said.
Hagari emphasized Israel’s priorities, citing the country’s commitment to security and the lessons of the October 7 Hamas attacks.
“We need to ensure that we are not threatened,” he said, urging Lebanon to ensure its border regions remain free of weapons that could endanger Israel. He reiterated Israel’s commitment to the 60-day cease-fire process, designed to dismantle the Hezbollah threat, adding, “UNIFIL forces and the Lebanese government must fulfill their roles—this is also in their interest."
Meanwhile, Ali Mohammad Naeini, spokesperson for Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps, vowed retaliation. “The Syrian army and the resistance front will respond decisively and with force to Israel’s actions in Syria,” he said, accusing Israel of attempting to shift attention to Syria after failing to achieve objectives in Lebanon and Gaza.
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Naeini dismissed Syrian rebel groups as “mercenaries of Israel and the United States” and claimed Israel’s actions demonstrated its failures to disarm Hezbollah or weaken its political influence.
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City of Idlib bombarded by Syrian regime forces
(Photo: The White Helmets/Handout via REUTERS)
The situation in Syria has intensified further with the arrival of two pro-Iranian militias from Iraq, who joined Syrian government forces to counter a rebel offensive that seized control of Aleppo over the weekend, according to Syrian military sources quoted by Reuters.
Meanwhile, Israeli forces intercepted an Iranian aircraft suspected of transporting weapons to Hezbollah. The Mahan Air flight, bound for Syria, was turned back after Israeli fighter jets intercepted it over Syrian airspace. The operation, part of Israel’s enforcement of the cease-fire, marked a significant deviation from previous interceptions, which typically occurred over Lebanon.
The interception aligns with the terms of the cease-fire and a U.S.-Israel letter of guarantees, which commits Washington to aid Israel in curbing Iran’s destabilizing activities in Lebanon and preventing the transfer of weapons and proxies from Iranian territory. Israeli officials described the operation as a clear signal to Iran that weapons transfers will not be tolerated.