Israel Braces for Escalation After Syria Air Strike

The alleged Israeli air attack on an Iranian military site in Syria would represent a significant stepping-up of the response to the buildup of hostile forces near its borders, Channel News reported on Tuesday night.

Foreign media reports attributed the action to Israel—which declined comment.

Channel 10 said Iran lost “a significant asset” and perhaps “even an entire system” in the strike, and that the death toll of seven Iranian nationals may not be final.

“All the signs are that Iran was trying to build an air base in Syria,” the report said, and while the Russians were feigning surprise, they presumably knew exactly what was going on at the site, the report said.

The strike was rated the “most significant direct attack” of its kind, making likely more than a rhetorical response from Tehran, “almost certainly from Syria,” according to the report.

Israel was said to be bracing for such a response. “We are at the start of incendiary days on the northern border,” the report said.

Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman said on Tuesday that Israel would not allow Iran to gain a “chokehold” in Syria.