Netanyahu Vows to Prevent Arms Transfers to Hizbullah via Syria

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged Thursday that Israel will continue to act to prevent transfers of arms to Hizbullah from and through Syria.

In his speech before the U.N. General Assembly, Netanyahu also claimed that Iran had delivered to Hizbullah SA-22 anti-aircraft missiles and Yakhont anti-ship missiles.

Netanyahu used the first part of his speech to criticize the international community for reaching the nuclear deal with Iran.

During his speech, he fell silent for 45 seconds after slamming the U.N. General Assembly's "deafening silence" in the face of repeated calls from Iran for the destruction of Israel.

"The response from this body," he said, "has been absolutely nothing. Utter silence. Deafening silence."

“Israel will do whatever it takes to defend itself and will not allow Iran to develop nuclear weapons,” Netanyahu said.

"Israel will not permit any force on earth to threaten its future," he added. "Israel will do whatever it must do to defend our state and to defend our people," he went on to say.

The Israeli premier's remarks come a day after Russia waged an air campaign against rebel and jihadist groups opposed to President Bashar Assad's regime in Syria.

Israel is believed to have waged several airstrikes inside Syria in recent years against suspected Hizbullah arms depots and arms transfers.

Y.R.