U.S. intel official: Israel targeted multiple targets in attack on Syria

American intelligence official says White House gave Israel ‘green light’ to continue such air strikes in the future.

Israeli jets attacked several targets in Syria Tuesday night in addition to the Scientific Studies and Research Center in Jamarya, outside Damascus, Time Magazine reported Friday.

Launch of SA-17 anti-aircraft missiles during drill by Syrian army - Reuters

Launch of SA-17 anti-aircraft missiles during drill by Syrian army. – Photo: Reuters

In the hours and days after the airstrike allegedly carried out by the Israel Air Force, conflicting reports surfaced regarding the nature of the strike. Syria accused Israel of attacking a research center in Jamarya, but denied that an attack on a convoy transporting SA-17 surface-to-air missiles to Hezbollah in Lebanon had taken place as was previously reported.

“At least one to two additional targets were hit the same night,” a Western intelligence official indicated to Time, adding that Israel received a “green light” from the United States to carry out further attacks in the future.

According to the report in Time, among the buildings destroyed in the attack on the Jamarya research center were “warehouses stocked with equipment necessary for the deployment of chemical and biological weapons.”

The U.S. was “poised to carry out similar airstrikes around Aleppo if rebels threaten to take sites associated with weapons of mass destruction in that region,” an American intelligence official told Time.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed “grave concern” on Thursday over reports that Israeli jets bombed a convoy near the Lebanese border, apparently hitting weapons destined for Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.

 

View original HAARETZ publication at: http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/israel-targeted-multiple-targets-in-recent-attack-on-syria-u-s-intelligence-official-tells-time-1.500910