Netanyahu Says Israel Bombed 'Dozens' of Hizbullah Arms Shipments in Syria

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu admitted Monday for the first time that Israel has carried out strikes inside Syria to prevent Hizbullah from acquiring what he described as “game-changing” weapons.

“We are proud that in the stormy and volatile Middle East, we were able to maintain relative calm and relative safety in Israel. We act when we should act, including here, across the border, in dozens of attacks, to prevent Hizbullah from getting game-changing weaponry,” said Netanyahu during a visit to Syria's occupied Golan Heights where he observed a military drill.

Netanyahu said that Israel was acting on other fronts as well, “nearby and far away, but is doing it in an intelligent manner.”

He said Israel is facing the Islamic State jihadist group and Hizbullah in the north, Hamas and the Islamic Jihad in Gaza, and IS and global jihadists in Egypt's Sinai.

“If we are required to go into battle, and that is a possibility that lies ahead … it is because we were unable to prevent the dangers to Israel through other means,” Netanyahu added.

Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah had warned Israel in early 2015 that his party was in possession of all types of weapons.

“We have all sorts of arms that come to your mind. The resistance in Lebanon has everything the enemy can imagine and not imagine,” Nasrallah said.

Prior to Netanyahu's remarks, Israel had never formally acknowledged the anti-Hizbullah airstrikes in Syria, although unnamed Israeli officials had said Israel would keep striking any shipments of advanced weapons meant for Hizbullah.

Y.R.