IDF confirms Syria attack
Ambiguity surrounding reported IAF attack in Syria ends as Israel confirms air raid of undisclosed Syrian targets
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7...455752,00.html
Hanan Greenberg Published: 10.02.07, 14:13 / Israel News
After weeks of ambiguity, the IDF confirmed Tuesday that the Israeli Air Force had attacked targets in Syria in September.
The IDF, however, would not reveal details of where the raid took place, or its aims. According to several reports in the foreign media, the IAF attack targeted a military base housing North Korean made nuclear equipment.
In BBC interview, Syrian president says Israeli air strike in northern Syria last month proved Israel's 'visceral antipathy towards peace.' Referring to regional peace conference, Assad says Syria will only participate if its concerns, including return of Golan Heights, are addressed
On September 6, the Syrian News Agency reported that an IAF fighter jet breached Syrian airspace, flying north-east and breaking the sound barrier.
Israel refused to comment on the Syrian report and official government sources in Syria denied the news agency's report.
Opposition leader MK Benjamin Netanyahu (Likud) was the first Israeli government official to acknowledge an air strike in Syria, after admitting he was privy to the decision in a television interview.
The ambiguity was consistent until Monday, when Syrian President Bashar Assad spoke of the attack in a BBC interview, saying Syria reserved the right to retaliate.
"Using the military is always an option," said Assad, adding that the Israeli attack targeted an abandoned military building in north-east Syria.
Ynet reporter and commentator Ron Ben-Yishai, visited Dir a-Zour – the alleged attack site – a week ago, where he found local residents to be blasé to the reports of an Israeli attack.
"Israeli planes flew over making a lot of noise and maybe dropping something, but we didn't here any explosions on the ground," Ben-Yishai was told.
"All this talk about tension (between Israel and Syria) is nothing more than Syria flexing its muscles at Israel. There is no real threat."
Ynet reporter and commentator Ron Ben-Yishai, visited Dir a-Zour – the alleged attack site – a week ago, where he found local residents to be unmoved by reports of an Israeli attack.
"Israeli planes flew over making a lot of noise and maybe dropping something, but we didn't here any explosions on the ground," Ben-Yishai was told.
"All this talk about tension (between Israel and Syria) is nothing more than Syria flexing its muscles at Israel. There is no real threat."
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