The IDF raised its level of alert on Thursday and called off weekend furloughs for officers and soldiers due to concern over the ongoing fighting in Syria.
On Wednesday, a bomb in a Damascus security building on Wednesday killed Defense Minister Daoud Rajha, former defense minister and senior military official General Hassan Turkmani and Assad's brother-in-law Assef Shawkat. Syria’s Interior Minister as well as several other officials were seriously wounded in the attack.
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Israel is concerned with three different scenarios. The first is concern about the transfer of Syria's chemical weapons to a third party like Hezbollah.
The second worrisome scenario is the fragmentation of the country, whereby certain parties or even a lone gunmen may gain access to bases with chemical weapons or other weapons systems, and then try to use them against Israel. For example, there is concern about tanks, or even airplanes, falling into the hands of a rogue actor who will decide to use it against Israel.
And the third scenario is the possibility that Assad - feeling his back against the wall – will decides to take Israel with him, and as a result fire everything he has toward Israel.
On Thursday, Defense Minister Ehud Barak toured the border with Syria and warned of the possibility that Hezbollah will try to move Syria’s chemical weapons out of the country and into Lebanon.
“There are also people who came to Syria from outside – from Global Jihad and al-Qaida and other Islamists – meaning that as long as the fighting carries on we will have even greater chaos in Syria the day after Assad,” Barak said.
On Wednesday night, Barak spoke with US Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta and updated him on Israel’s concerns regarding the situation in Syria.
“We believe that the assassination of the top Syrian government officials will speed up Assad’s downfall,” Barak told Panetta, who is scheduled to visit Israel later this month. “We are also closely tracking the possibility that Hezbollah will try to move advanced military platforms or chemical weapons from Syria to Lebanon.”
On Wednesday, a bomb in a Damascus security building on Wednesday killed Defense Minister Daoud Rajha, former defense minister and senior military official General Hassan Turkmani and Assad's brother-in-law Assef Shawkat. Syria’s Interior Minister as well as several other officials were seriously wounded in the attack.
Related:
Israel is concerned with three different scenarios. The first is concern about the transfer of Syria's chemical weapons to a third party like Hezbollah.
The second worrisome scenario is the fragmentation of the country, whereby certain parties or even a lone gunmen may gain access to bases with chemical weapons or other weapons systems, and then try to use them against Israel. For example, there is concern about tanks, or even airplanes, falling into the hands of a rogue actor who will decide to use it against Israel.
And the third scenario is the possibility that Assad - feeling his back against the wall – will decides to take Israel with him, and as a result fire everything he has toward Israel.
On Thursday, Defense Minister Ehud Barak toured the border with Syria and warned of the possibility that Hezbollah will try to move Syria’s chemical weapons out of the country and into Lebanon.
“There are also people who came to Syria from outside – from Global Jihad and al-Qaida and other Islamists – meaning that as long as the fighting carries on we will have even greater chaos in Syria the day after Assad,” Barak said.
On Wednesday night, Barak spoke with US Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta and updated him on Israel’s concerns regarding the situation in Syria.
“We believe that the assassination of the top Syrian government officials will speed up Assad’s downfall,” Barak told Panetta, who is scheduled to visit Israel later this month. “We are also closely tracking the possibility that Hezbollah will try to move advanced military platforms or chemical weapons from Syria to Lebanon.”