Syria and Israel in war of words
A war of words between Syria and Israel escalated after Syria said it had the right to defend itself against any further Israeli strikes.
Israel responded provocatively within minutes insisting it had the option to attack any country harbouring “terrorists”.
“In case of a repetition (of an Israeli aggression) Syria has the right to exercise self defence,” spokeswoman Bushra Kanafani told a press briefing in Damascus on Saturday.
The comments come after Israel last week launched a strike against what it claimed was an Islamic Jihad and Hamas training base in the Ain al-Sahab area, about 20km northwest of Damascus.
Civilian claims
Syria claimed the attack, Israel’s deepest since the 1967 war, decimated a civilian area in a ‘grave escalation’ of tensions in the Middle East.
Islamic Jihad also denied the area housed a training base.
In turn, the US House of Representatives International Relations Committee voted on Thursday to impose economic sanctions on Syria.