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Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz on Wednesday rejected Tehran's accusations of an “American-Israeli plot” leading to the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad by Islamist rebels in Syria. Katz said Iran must hold itself responsible for the fall of its strategic ally.
“Iranian manipulation” denounced
During a visit to the Jordanian border with military commanders, Katz accused Iran of seeking to establish an “eastern front” against Israel in neighboring Jordan. He promised that this attempt would be prevented. According to a statement released by his office, Katz responded to remarks by Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who said earlier in the day that Assad's fall was “the product of a joint conspiracy between states.” -United and Israel”. Khamenei had also blamed an unspecified “neighboring state.”
Katz responded by saying Khamenei “should take it upon himself” and stop funding armed groups “in Syria, Lebanon and Gaza” in an effort to “defeat the State of Israel.” He called Iran's efforts building “octopus tentacles” against Israel.
Border Threat Prevention
The minister warned against Iran's attempts to transfer weapons to the West Bank, territory occupied by Israel, bordering Jordan. Katz also announced that he had ordered the Israeli army to “intensify offensive operations against any terrorist activity” in the West Bank and to “accelerate the construction of the fence” along the Israeli-Jordanian border.
Assad and the “Axis of Resistance”
Under the Assad regime, Damascus constituted a strategic link in Iran's “Axis of Resistance” against Israel. This axis notably facilitated arms transfers to Hezbollah in Lebanon, a long-time ally of Tehran. Besides Hezbollah, Iran supports other groups in the region, such as Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Houthi rebels in Yemen and various Shiite militias in Iraq.
Israeli reactions to the overthrow of Assad
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed the fall of Bashar al-Assad, which occurred after a lightning offensive by the rebels starting at the end of November. Netanyahu called the event “the fall of a central link in Iran’s axis of evil.” He attributed it directly to “the blows we dealt to Iran and Hezbollah”, involved in the conflict against Israel until the November 27 ceasefire.
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