Fox News
Syria, Iran threaten retaliation against Israel over airstrike
Abdul-Karim Ali said he could not predict when Damascus would retaliate, but told Hezbollah’s al-Ahd news website that it was up to the relevant authorities to prepare the retaliation and choose the time and place.
In Iran, the country’s deputy foreign minister said on Press TV that the “strike on Syria will have serious consequences for Tel Aviv,” but did not elaborate, according to the Jerusalem Post.
Prior to the attack, last week, an aide to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei told the Mehr news agency that any attack on Syria was an attack on itself, fearing that Iran and Iraq would be targeted next if Assad’s regime falls, Haaretz reports.
Blowback
Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.
Trackbacks/Pings
Trackback URL
Comments
“You’ve got to ask yourself one question: ‘Do I feel lucky?’ Well, do ya punk?”
Shy Guy on January 31, 2013 at 2:27 PM
It is not a threat, they will attack.
The Russians will enable it.
N. Korea will play its evil part.
China will lurk and smirk.
Obama will act just as he did with Bengazie.
When it all comes undone he will hide the truth of his inaction and his enabling of this just as he did with his Fast and Furious gun running.
He is what he is and the ones of islamic terror in Iran are what they are.
The only ones who need to make better decisions are “We the People” of the U.S.A. as it is our ass’s that will be on the line just as every time prior.
When the leaders get it all screwed up they come to U.S. to bail their ass’s out in the land war gun fights.
It is that simple.
APACHEWHOKNOWS on January 31, 2013 at 2:30 PM
Bring it on.
Del Dolemonte on January 31, 2013 at 2:35 PM
I don’t want to sound like a war hawk but the longer the world waits the closer Iran gets to having nukes. The war is coming. Don’t wait for your enemy to be prepared.
Dan_Yul on January 31, 2013 at 2:36 PM
I see Iran’s threat(s), kinda, but what is Syria going to do? Syria can’t even extend internal sovereignty over its own domain, exactly what is Syria going to do to Israel?
JFKY on January 31, 2013 at 2:42 PM
Because they know everyone will make a big deal out of Jews attacking a building.
60,000+ dead Syrians? Not so much.
Ben Hur on January 31, 2013 at 2:44 PM
Don’t go shootin’ down political posturing and conspiracy theorists the world over so easy.
Its like kickin’ a puppy.
cozmo on January 31, 2013 at 2:51 PM
Provoke a response.
An attack on Israel might persuade Israel to attack further targets within Syria.
Israeli attacks on Syria might take some of the heat off Assad because some of the ‘rebels’ presently trying to kill him would redirect their fire against Israel. It might also draw Iran into the conflict more openly. The Israelis might decide that their retaliation targets should include the rebels, on the grounds that it is in their interests to keep the relatively stable Mr Assad in power if possible.
What is presently an ‘internal’ conflict would then become a large scale cross-border conflict involving at least four groups (Assad & Sons, Rebel & Co, Iran Inc and the Mossad Bros).
The ensuing chaos might favour Mr Assad’s survival, politically and literally, far better than the present circumstances of the civil war.
YiZhangZhe on January 31, 2013 at 2:57 PM
I don’t the Assad Regime needs increased CHAOS within its borders…I see your point, but I really find it difficult to believe that nayone sitting in Damscus is saying, “EXACTLY, now instead of two-plus players, there will be FOUR-plus players in Syria. That’s the ticket, turn Syria into Lebanon.”
JFKY on January 31, 2013 at 3:28 PM
וואָס ערסטרייק
wwʼás ʻrstryyq
Bmore on January 31, 2013 at 3:40 PM
I was thinking more of chaos in the region, and in global politics, but I didn’t make that clear. Sorry.
From Mr Assad’s perspective, he needs to survive and if he feels the civil war isn’t going to lead to his downfall, torture and execution then who knows what devilish schemes will come to the mind of a desperate man. For example the so called, “Nero Decree”.
Also, there might already be other ‘players’ on the field whose interests are not entirely aligned with those of Mr Assad. I have long argued that the Iranian government has been trying, so far unsuccessfully, to provoke an Israeli attack on Iran as part of a complex regional power game. Assuming my hypothesis to be correct and since the Israelis have, wisely IMO, not taken the bait, the leaders of Iran might try to engage Israel via Syria, i.e. Iran offers help to Mr Assad with his rebel problem in return for Assad’s government helping Iran bait Israel.
However, I have no special knowledge of these shenanigans; this is all speculation.
YiZhangZhe on January 31, 2013 at 5:19 PM