Iran's military chief: Israel can't violate Syria anytime it wants
After IAF carries out retaliatory attack on Syrian SA-5 battery, Iranian General Mohammad Baqeri makes rare visit to Damascus to 'assert and coordinate and cooperate to confront our common enemies, the Zionists and terrorists.'
Iranian military chief of staff General Mohammad Baqeri said Wednesday the Islamic Republic would not accept Israeli violations in Syria, according to the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA).
"It is not acceptable for the Zionist regime to violate Syria anytime it wants," Baqeri said during a meeting in Damascus with his Syrian counterpart, Ali Abdullah Ayyoub.
Earlier this week, the Syrian army launched an SA-5 anti-aircraft missile at Israeli Air Force planes on a reconnaissance mission over Lebanon. In retaliation, the IAF bomb the SA-5 battery, destroying its fire control radar.
Baqeri, on a rare visit to Syria, pledged to fight Israel and Sunni insurgents.
"We are in Damascus to assert and coordinate and cooperate to confront our common enemies, the Zionists and terrorists," he said. "We drew up the broad lines for this cooperation."
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu followed up the IDF's retaliation strike against Syria on Monday by stating, "Whoever strikes at us, we strike at them. Today they tried to harm our planes—unacceptable.
"The air force acted precisely and swiftly, destroying what needed to be destroyed. We will continue to act in the space as much as necessary to defend Israel's security."
