The U.S. intelligence community found that "Iran seeks to avoid a major armed conflict with Israel. However, Israeli strikes that result in Iranian casualties increase the likelihood of Iranian conventional retaliation against Israel". 

A senior IRGC official warned that "our strategy is to wipe Israel off the world's political geography, and Israel seems to be approaching this reality by its evil actions". "If Israel does anything that leads to a new war", he added, "certainly it will be the kind of war that will result in their elimination, and the occupied territories will be retaken".  

Prime Minister Netanyahu asserted that "the main enemy that we face is Iran. Iran declares its intention to destroy us with nuclear weapons, which we are committed to thwarting. But Iran is also building forces around us. It wants to squeeze us". Citing three Iranian "bases" - in Lebanon, in Gaza, and in Syria - Netanyahu maintained that "we are committed to fighting all of these... we are facing Iran and its proxies on these three fronts".

Syria's UN envoy asked the Security Council whether "drawing the attention of the war-makers in this Council require[s] us to exercise our legitimate right to self-defence and respond to Israeli aggression on Damascus International Airport by responding the same way on Tel Aviv Airport?" 

Prime Minister Netanyahu warned that "our enemies who seek to destroy us should know that Israel's clenched fist will reach all those who seek our ill and we will settle accounts with them". 

A senior Iranian military official maintained that "our current and future generations [in the Iranian air force] are impatient and fully ready to confront the Zionist regime and eliminate it from the earth", going on to say that "our future generations are learning required know-how for the promised day to destroy Israel". 

Prime Minister Netanyahu affirmed that "last night the air force strongly attacked Iranian targets in Syria after Iran launched a missile from there at our territory". "We will not ignore such acts of aggression as Iran attempts to entrench itself militarily in Syria and given explicit statements by Iran that it intends to destroy Israel", Netanyahu continued, adding that "whoever tries to hurt us - we hurt them. Whoever threatens to destroy us will bear the full responsibility". 

The Israeli military held discussions with Russian counterparts on "advancing and improving the de-confliction mechanism between the two countries in the northern arena and the IDF's activities against Iranian entrenchment and the Hizbollah organisation's rearmament efforts in Syria". 

Prime Minister Netanyahu asserted that "the most important thing that happened in the last year in our region is the decision by President Trump to move out of the [Iran nuclear] agreement. This has caused a tailspin in Iran's economy. What the nuclear deal did was fuel Iran's coffers, and from these coffers, they put it right into Syria, right into Hizbollah, right into Hamas". "The second most dramatic thing that happened", Netanyahu continued, "is our military activity in Syria to deprive Iran from basing itself militarily against us in Syria". 

The IRGC's commander warned Israel to "fear the day when Iranian precision missiles hit you and take revenge of all the blood of oppressed Muslims which you have shed". "Iran will keep in Syria all the military and revolutionary advisors, and equipment and weapons which aim to train and empower Islamic resistance forces and support oppressed people of the country", he pledged, adding that "we do not take into account your ridiculous threats. You know that if we have chosen to wait against your hostile measures, some considerations lie behind it". In related comments, Iran's diplomatic spokesperson advised Prime Minister Netanyahu to "know your limits". 

Prime Minister Netanyahu remarked that "there is one central threat: Iran and its terror proxies. We have acted carefully and responsibly to thwart efforts by those who wish to annihilate us to become stronger. We did this by blocking the nuclear deal with Iran and reimposing sanctions. We had to penetrate through Iranian lies, as Iran lies all the time. They lied about the nuclear deal, and we exposed that by uncovering the secret nuclear archive from Tehran. They are lying now, saying that they are launching an ostensibly innocent satellite into space, but in fact, they are aiming to accomplish the first stage for an inter-continental missile in defiance of all international agreements. We fully support the U.S.' unwavering objection to this aggressive act". "Another step we have taken to protect Israel", he continued, "is disrupting Hizbollah's attempts to acquire precision-guided munitions, destroying Hizbollah's tunnels in the north and those of Hamas in the south, and above all, preventing the Iranian military entrenchment in Syria". Citing an Iranian official's recent remarks about Iran's advisory role in Syria, Netanyahu said: "I advise them to get out of there fast, because we will continue with our resolute policy, as we have promised and as we are doing, fearlessly and relentlessly".  

A senior Iranian military official indicated that "as far as terrorists are in Syria and the country asks help from Tehran, Iran will continue its advisory presence in Syria". 

Via Twitter, President Trump indicated the U.S. was "starting the long overdue pullout from Syria while hitting the little remaining ISIS territorial caliphate hard, and from many directions. [We] will attack again from existing nearby base if it reforms. Will devastate Turkey economically if they hit Kurds. Create 20-mile safe zone..." He went on to add that "[we] do not want the Kurds to provoke Turkey. Russia, Iran and Syria have been the biggest beneficiaries of the long-term U.S. policy of destroying ISIS in Syria - natural enemies". 

Prime Minister Netanyahu remarked that "we worked with impressive success to block Iran's military entrenchment in Syria. In this framework, the IDF attacked Iranian and Hizbollah targets hundreds of times. We worked together against the manufacture of precision weapons in Lebanon. We worked to dismantle Hizbollah's tunnels weapon in Lebanon, in Operation 'Northern Shield'". "Just in the last 36 hours", Netanyahu revealed, "the air force attacked Iranian warehouses with Iranian weapons at the international airport in Damascus. The accumulation of recent attacks proves that we are determined more than ever to take action against Iran in Syria, just as we promised". 

Confirming Israeli strikes against what he described as "an Iranian weapons warehouse at the international airport in Damascus", Prime Minister Netanyahu asserted that "if necessary, we will step up these attacks". He also indicated that operation "Northern Shield", along the Lebanon border, had come "to a successful close". 

Secretary Pompeo affirmed that "the roughly 2,000 uniformed soldiers that are in Syria today are going to be withdrawn. That activity is underway. We’re going to do so in an orderly, deliberate way, a way that protects America’s national security, a way that allows us to continue the important mission that they were on. The counter-terrorism mission, the effort to make sure that the destruction of ISIS is not only complete but that their resurgence is not possible, our efforts to counter the threat from terrorism stemming from the Islamic Republic of Iran – those are all real missions. The tactical change we’ve made in the withdrawal of those 2,000 troops is just that, a tactical change. The mission remains the same". 

Secretary Pompeo acknowledged that the U.S. goal of removing "every Iranian boot on the ground [in Syria] is an ambitious objective... but it's ours. It is our mission". Withdrawing U.S. forces from Syria, Pompeo explained, "is a tactical change. It doesn't materially alter our capacity to continue to perform the military actions that we need to perform. But even more broadly than that, the campaign to create a better world, to allow the Iranian people to have opportunity and democracy, has lots of pieces to it - economic, financial, diplomatic for sure". He went on to suggest that "the nuclear proliferation risks from Iran are incredibly real... our mission set is certainly to stop the terror regime, to stop the fighting of Hizbollah and Shiite militias and the Huthis... but it has a nuclear component". 

In letters to the UN, the Syrian government posited that on 11 January Israel "targeted a number of sites in the vicinity of Damascus and its countryside with missiles launched by Israeli warplanes". 

Israel's outgoing military chief of staff reflected that "we operated under a certain threshold until two-and-a-half years ago. And then we noticed a significant change in Iran's strategy. Their vision was to have significant influence in Syria by building a force of up to 100,000 Shiite fighters... they built intelligence bases and an air force base within each Syria air base". Referring to IRGC Qods force commander Qasem Soleimani, Gadi Eisenkot assessed that "his error was choosing a playground where he is relatively weak... we have strong deterrence and we have justification to act". "The force we faced over the last two years was a determined force", Eisenkot continued, "but not very impressive in its capabilities". He went on to add that "as we push [the Iranians] in Syria, they transfer their efforts to Iraq". 

Secretary Pompeo underscored that "we strongly support Israel's efforts to stop Tehran from turning Syria into the next Lebanon" going on to say that "the U.S. fully supports Israel's right to defend itself against the Iranian regime's aggressive adventurism". "We will continue to ensure that Israel has the military capacity to do so decisively", he added.

Secretary Pompeo pledged that "in Syria, the U.S. will use diplomacy and work with our partners to expel every last Iranian boot". "There will be no U.S. reconstruction assistance for areas of Syria held by Assad", he added, "until Iran and its proxy forces withdraw and until we see irreversible progress towards a political resolution". 

Secretary Pompeo remarked that President Trump has "made a commitment. We're going to withdraw our uniformed personnel, uniformed guys, 2000 roughly folks on the ground. We're going to withdraw them from Syria". 

Prime Minister Netanyahu told National Security Advisor John Bolton that "President [Trump] walked away from the dangerous Iran deal and re-imposed sanctions... that's important to America, to Israel, to the world, and everyone who wants to stop Iranian aggression respects that deeply". 

A senior U.S. diplomat explained that "concerning Syria, we have no timeline for our military forces to withdraw... the President has made the decision that we will withdraw our military forces from Syria, but that it will be done in a deliberate, heavily coordinated way with our allies and partners". The diplomat went on to assert that "our military posture in Syria may be changing, but our overall goals in Syria remain the same, and key among those is... to see the withdrawal from Syria of all Iranian-commanded forces". 

Prime Minister Netanyahu spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding "developments in Syria, including in light of the U.S.' plans to withdraw its troops... the parties reaffirmed their mutual determination to strengthen coordination through military and diplomatic channels". 

Secretary Pompeo remarked that "the President is not ambiguous with respect to Syria. Our troops are coming out. The President also made very clear that we needed to continue the counter-ISIS campaign, and we needed to continue to ensure that we did the things to create stability throughout the Middle East. The counter-Iran campaign continues. We'll do all of those things......we will simply do it at a time when the American forces have departed Syria". Pompeo also discussed U.S. sanctions against Iran, stating that while "a well-supplied crude oil market" was a consideration for issuing sanctions waivers, "we want to ensure that we're complying with the requirements that the sanctions on Iran have the ultimate goal which we're trying to achieve: creating an outcome where the Iranian people... can have better lives than they have today under this tyrannical regime". 

Prime Minister asserted that "we are acting decisively to thwart all those who seek to endanger us. This is now happening in Syria, against Iran's attempts to entrench itself militarily... it is also happening on the Lebanese border". Netanyahu went on to argue that "the greatest threat from Iran is that of nuclear weapons in the hands of a power which declares that we need to be wiped off the face of the earth... I insisted on the re-imposition of sanctions on Iran and President Trump indeed made the brave decision to re-impose them. President Trump is acting against Iran in the economic sphere and here in Israel we are acting against Iran in the military sphere". 

President Trump asserted that "Iran is no longer the same country. Iran is pulling people out of Syria. They can do what they want there, frankly. But they're pulling people out. They're pulling people out of Yemen". "When we do all of the things that we've done monetarily to Iran", he added, "Iran is in trouble. And you know what? I'd love to negotiate with Iran. They're not ready yet, I don't think. But they will be. But Iran is a much different country right now... than it was when I took over". Asked about a timetable for pulling U.S. forces out of Syria, Trump responded that it would occur "over a period of time. I never said I'm getting out tomorrow. I said we're pulling our soldiers out, and they will be pulled back in Syria, and we're getting out of Syria... but we're getting out very powerfully". 

President Trump asserted that "ISIS is mostly gone", adding that "we're slowly sending our troops back home to be with their families, while at the same time fighting ISIS remnants". 

Iran's military chief of staff posited that "the U.S. pullout from Syria is a humiliating withdrawal", adding that "wherever Americans have been present, they caused insecurity... the [U.S.] exit from Syria and other parts of the region will lead to enhanced security and calm in the region". 

The State Department issued a statement underscoring that "the U.S. fully support Israel's right to defend itself against Iranian regional actions that endanger Israeli national security and the safety of the Israeli people. Iranian support of and supply to terrorist groups in Syria and across the region that have the clear intent and capability to strike Israel are unacceptable". 

The Syria government filed letters of complaint to the UN regarding 25 December Israeli airstrikes. 

During a visit to Iraq, President Trump asserted that "there will be a strong, deliberate and orderly withdrawal of U.S. forces from Syria... while maintaining the U.S. presence in Iraq to prevent an ISIS resurgence and to protect U.S. interests, and also to always watch very closely over any potential reformation of ISIS and also to watch over Iran. We'll be watching". The trip drew criticism from Iraqi parliamentarians as well as PMU officials. 

Prime Minister Netanyahu remarked that "we are not prepared to accept the Iranian military entrenchment in Syria which is directed against us. We will act against it vigorously and continuously... we will not be deterred from doing what is necessary". He added that "President Trump's decision to withdraw the American soldiers from Syria will not change our policy. We are standing steadfast on our red lines in Syria and everywhere else". Netanyahu also indicated that "we are eliminating Hizbollah's terrorist tunnels one after the other", referring to operation "Northern Shield" along the Lebanon border. 

U.S. defence officials indicated that overnight Israeli strikes in Syria targeted Iranian arms depots as well as members of Hizbollah, while a Russian military spokesperson argued that "provocative acts by the Israeli Air Force endangered two passenger jets". 

Syrian state media reported that "Syrian air defences confronted hostile missiles launched by Israel warplanes", adding that "the damages of the aggression were limited to a munition warehouse and the injury of three soldiers"; the Israeli military indicated the activation of "an IDF aerial defence system... in response to an anti-aircraft missile launched from Syria". 

President Trump announced that "Saudi Arabia has now agreed to spend the necessary money needed to help rebuild Syria". 

Foreign Minister Javad Zarif opined that "the U.S. has not fought against ISIS at all, and its presence in Syria is not in line with the interests of the Syria nation or agreed by the [country's] government". He went on to state that, following President Trump's decision to pull U.S. forces out of the country, "we do not have sufficient information on the U.S. plans in Syria to adopt a clear-cut stance". 

President Trump indicated that the U.S. military withdrawal from Syria would be "slow and highly coordinated". 

The Israeli military announced that "our troops spotted armed suspects crossing the Alpha Line into Israel near the Syrian border fence in the Golan Heights. In response, our troops fired towards them". 

Israel's army chief opined that "the American decision to withdraw troops from Syria is a significant event, but there's no need to overstate it... the IDF has been working independently this whole time, including during the period of American and Russian presence". He went on to assess that "the Iranian vision for Syria for the day after [the war]... was to build a force of 100,000 ground troops", adding that "the desire is to build a combined ground, aerial, naval and intelligence capability, really to construct a line of military positions along the Golan".

Prime Minister told his cabinet that Washington's "decision to withdraw 2000 U.S. troops from Syria will not change our consistent policy: we will continue to act against Iran's attempts to entrench itself militarily in Syria, and to the extent necessary, we will even expand our actions there". He went on to say that "cooperation with the U.S. will continue in full", and assessed that Israel's ongoing Operation "Northern Shield" along the Lebanon border was "meeting its timetable and its objectives".  

President Trump asserted that "on Syria, we were originally going to be there for three months, and that was seven years ago - we never left... now ISIS is largely defeated and other local countries, including Turkey, should be able to easily take care of whatever remains". 

Reacting to President Trump's decision to withdraw U.S. forces from Syria, Iran's Foreign Ministry opined that "in principle, the deployment and presence of U.S. forces in the region from the outset was a wrong, irrational and provocative move that created tensions". A senior Iranian military official also weighed in saying that "the Americans have come to the conclusion that they can exercise power neither in Iraq and Syria nor in the entire region". 

Prime Minister Netanyahu indicated that Israel was "continuing our efforts to neutralise the terror tunnels [along the Lebanon border]", and added that "we will continue to take very strong action against Iran's attempts to entrench itself in Syria. In neither of these sectors do we intend to lessen our efforts; we will intensify them, and I know that we do so with the full support and backing of the U.S."

Explaining the U.S. decision to withdraw from Syria, Secretary Pompeo stressed that "the primary mission was to go take down the ISIS caliphate. That is at the very tail end of completion. And we have ISIS remnants in lots of pockets around the world". He added that the U.S. "intends to continue that counter-terrorism campaign, continue the fight against ISIS, whether it stems from Syria or other places". 

Elaborating on his decision to withdraw U.S. forces from Syria, President Trump asserted that "getting out of Syria was no surprise... Russia, Iran, Syria and others are the local enemy of ISIS. We were doing there [sic] work. Time to come home and rebuild". He went on to state that "Russia, Iran, Syria and many others are not happy about the U.S. leaving... because now they will have to fight ISIS and others, who they hate, without us." 

Prime Minister Netanyahu revealed that in conversations with President Trump and Secretary Pompeo, "the American administration told me that it is the president's intention to withdraw their forces from Syria. They made it clear that they have other ways of expressing their influence in the area". Netanyahu went on to say that "this is, of course, an American decision. We will study its timetable, how it will be implemented, and - of course - its implications for us. In any case we will take care to maintain the security of Israel and to defend ourselves in this area". 

President Trump announced that "we have defeated ISIS in Syria, my only reason for being there during the Trump presidency", while a White House statement indicated that "we have started returning U.S. troops home as we transition to the next phase of this campaign". 

Prime Minister Netanyahu asserted that "we are committed to fighting the [Iran] nuclear agreement also with operations and actions and diplomatic moves... we are striking Iran and Syria and of course the U.S. is striking Iran economically. We are working to shrink this body which is responsible for almost all of the security problems that the State of Israel has". He added that "we are fighting the arms of Iran and Hizbollah... they [i.e. Hizbollah] planned to have thousands of precision missiles and they have a few dozen at best". 

Prime Minister Netanyahu indicated that "our red line is survival. We do what is necessary to protect the State of Israel against the Iranian regime that openly calls for the annihilation of the Jewish state". Netanyahu added that "I'm not ruling out doing anything that we need to do to defend ourselves. For the moment Israel's military is the only military... that is directly engaging the Iranian forces. We're doing that in Syria and pulling them back". He went on to say that "we're going to stop things... when they're small. So we meet Iran head-on in Syria and if we need to we'll do whatever else we need to do to protect ourselves". 

An Israeli military delegation met with Russian counterparts in Moscow to update them on operation "Northern Shield" and consult about "the improvement of the two militaries' deconfliction system in the norther region". The IDF indicated that it would "continue operating to prevent Iranian entrenchment and the arming of Hizbollah in Syria". 

A senior IDF official reportedly assessed that "Iran is reducing its activities in Syria in response to its unpopularity at home". 

Prime Minister told Israel's diplomatic corps that "the exposure of Hizbollah's terrorist tunnels on the northern border is part of an effort, which is not just military, to block the tunnels threat. But it is also a public diplomacy, economic and diplomatic effort to impose increased sanctions Hizbollah, to designate all subdivisions of Hizbollah as one organisation". "It is also necessary", Netanyahu continued, "to increase sanctions on Iran, which is behind this organisation and is also behind Hamas' similar attempts". 

Prime Minister Netanyahu told his cabinet that "we will continue the operation [Northern Shield] until... the tunnel threat in the north is neutralised. At the same time we are working in the intelligence sphere in order to denounce Hizbollah and Iran and to increase sanctions against both of them". Netanyahu also detailed his earlier conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, stating that "I told President Putin that we are continuing our policy: we will not allow Iran to establish a military presence in Syria. We will continue to take action against the precision weapons in Lebanon, and we will complete the operation to foil the tunnels threat". 

Prime Minister Netanyahu indicated that "we've been effectively fighting [against Iranian entrenchment in Syria], and I have to say that as a result of our efforts there's been a reduction of dozens of per cents... at least 24 per cent in the Iranian forces in Syria, and as a result of American sanctions there's also been a similar reduction in the budgets that go there". 

The Israeli military stated that "during a Syrian surface-to-air missile launching, one launch was identified towards an open area in the Golan Heights". The IDF subsequently "found remnants of what seems to be a Syrian anti-aircraft missile fired during last night's incident". 

Citing military sources, Syrian media reported that "air defences intercepted hostile targets over the al-Kiswah region [south of Damascus] and downed them". 

Prime Minister Netanyahu identified three key security arenas for Israel: Gaza, the West Bank, and the northern arena including Syria and Lebanon. "We are continuing to take action to thwart the establishment of an Iranian military presence in Syria", Netanyahu noted, "and Hizbollah's precision weapons project in Lebanon". 

IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eizenkot assessed that "the fact that their abilities [in Syria] are far from what Iran and terror groups desired is the result of high-quality, ongoing operational activity" by Israel. He also pledged that "the IDF will continue to thwart these efforts [by Iran and Hizbollah], while preserving the security situation in the north in the long-term". 

Prime Minister Netanyahu asserted that "from the information we have, the amount of Iranian weapons transfers to Hizbollah through Syria has significantly dropped since the downing of the Russian plane" in September. 

A senior Israeli defence official indicated that the Golan Heights "sector still poses many complex challenges... we are well aware of Iran's increasing attempts to establish itself militarily in many areas of Syria. We see how the Iranians are trying to transfer weapons to Hizbollah in Lebanon through Syria. We know that Hizbollah is trying to establish terrorist infrastructures on the Syrian Golan Heights, near our border". "The IDF", he added, "will not allow this to happen". 

Prime Minister Netanyahu praised the U.S. vote against a draft UN resolution critical of Israel's presence in the Golan Heights, asserting that "Israel will always remain on the Golan Heights, and the Golan Heights will always remain in our hands". 

The U.S. special representative for Syria, James Jeffrey, laid out U.S. objectives in Syria as "the enduring defeat of ISIS, a re-invigorated and irreversible political process... and de-escalation of the conflict that will include all Iranian-commanded forces departing from the entirety of Syria". Jeffrey elaborated that "on getting Iran out, that is basically part of a process. It's not a military goal of the U.S., it's not a mission of U.S. military forces... you will not have a lasting peace in Syria if Iran is doing the kind of power projection policies out of Syria that it has done through Hizbollah in southern Lebanon and done through the Huthis in northern Yemen". 

Asked about Iranian withdrawals near the Golan Heights, Foreign Minister Zarif asserted that "There were no Iranian forces in southern Syria to begin with", adding that "this applies to Lebanese Hizbollah as well... their presence was temporary and meant to fight terrorism". 

Russia's ambassador to Israel described the notion of ending Iran's military presence in Syria as "an unrealistic request", adding that "as far as we know, the Iranian government does not plan to attack Israel first". He went on to offer that "if there are concerns on the Israeli side, we are ready to listen. And if there are grounds for these concerns, we could take measures in contacts with our Iranian and Syrian partners". 

Commenting on the prospect of Israeli strikes following the delivery of Russian S-300 missiles to Syria, a senior Syrian military official assessed that while "we cannot say that this probability has been reduced to zero... the probability of this aggression achieving its goals has been minimised". 

The U.S. special representative for Syria, James Jeffrey, opined that the "Iranians are part of the problem not part of the solution" in Syria, and noted that the U.S. was "contesting more actively Iran's activities particularly in Iraq, Syria and Yemen". 

The U.S. special representative for Syria, James Jeffrey, indicated that "in the past, Russia has been permissive in consultations with the Israelis about Israeli strikes against Iranian targets inside Syria. We certainly hope that permissive approach will continue". 

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov remarked that "military operations can't resolve Israeli security concerns but will only help increase regional tensions". 

Prime Minister Netanyahu met with the U.S. special representative for Syria engagement, James Jeffrey, and "discussed developments in Syria and efforts against Iranian aggression". 

A senior Russian defence official asserted that "it is advisable for 'hot heads' to adequately assess the current situation in the region and refrain from provocative actions on the territory of Syria". 

A senior Israeli official revealed that "the IDF have attacked in Syria, including after the [17 September] downing of the Russian plane". 

In remarks alongside U.S. Treasury Secretary Mnuchin, Prime Minister Netanyahu posited that Iranian aggression was manifest "in every part of the Middle East. We see it... in our norther border in their attempts to entrench militarily in Syria, their attempts to bring deadliest weapons to Lebanon, to launch aggression through their proxies in Gaza and elsewhere". "Pressure is the only thing that arrests the forward movement of the Iranian nuclear program", Netanyahu argued, "and pressure is the only thing that rolls back Iran's aggression in the region". 

A senior U.S. diplomat asserted that "we want to see the Iranians leave Syria... and frankly, even the Russians tell us that's their goal. So there seems to be some consensus that the Iranians and their forces inside Syria should leave Syria". 

The Quneitra border crossing was reopened.  

Secretary Pompeo asserted that Iran's goals in Syria "have included expanding the reach of its Revolutionary Guard, gaining an entrenched position near the Golan Heights and, ultimately, establishing a second front from which proxies like Hizbollah can terrorise the Israeli people". Pompeo went on to say that "defeating ISIS, which was once our primary focus, continues to be a top priority, but it will now be joined by two other mutually reinforcing objectives. These include a peaceful and political resolution to the Syrian conflict and the removal of all Iranian and Iranian-backed forces from Syria". "If Syria doesn't ensure the total withdrawal of Iranian-backed troops", he added" it will... not receive one single dollar from the U.S. for reconstruction". 

Prime Minister Netanyahu remarked that "today we see what is happening over the border - Iran's attempts to establish a military presence and the aggression of terrorist fanatics. We will continue to stand strong and determined against all of these... as long as it depends on me the Golan Heights will always remain under Israeli sovereignty because otherwise we would have Iran and Hizbollah on the shores of the Kinneret". Netanyahu went on to say that Israel "will continue to act with determination against Iran's attempts to open an additional front against us on the Golan Heights, and in Syria we will act against all attempts to transfer lethal weapons to Hizbollah in Lebanon". 

Prime Minister Netanyahu indicated that he and the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, "agreed to meet soon in order to continue the important inter-military security cooperation" between Israel and Russia. "Israel will act at all times to prevent Iran from establishing a military presence in Syria and to thwart the transfer of lethal weapons to Hizbollah in Lebanon", he added. 

Prime Minister Netanyahu reiterated his argument "that all nations must join together to press the Iranian regime to fully dismantle its nuclear weapons program. They're still trying to hide... they're trying to get there through the back door". Netanyahu went on to assert that Iran should "stop using Syria as a base for attacks against Israel. Syria and Lebanon. And ultimately they have to get out of Syria altogether". "We will continue to block Iran's efforts to use Syria and Lebanon as forward bases for attacking Israel", he added. 

Russian officials confirmed the transfer of S-300 missile systems to Syria. The delivery "included 49 pieces of equipment, including radars, control vehicles and four launchers". Secretary Pompeo subsequently labeled the move "a very serious escalation". 

Commenting on Israeli strikes against Iranian and Iran-linked targets in Syria, Iran's foreign minister, Javad Zarif, stated that "Iran is in Syria to fight terrorism and extremism and help stabilise the situation. That we are not there to fight others, but we've said all the time that we defend ourselves. And we believe that people should avoid provoking". 

The U.S. special representative for Syria, James Jeffrey, assessed that Iran's involvement in Syria reflects "capabilities that we would associate with power projection over the region. Very similar to what we've seen in southern Lebanon, very similar to what we have seen in northern Yemen". He went on to suggest that "a military presence long term, including power projection - which the Iranian seem to be aiming for - is a little bit more than their minimum goals and seems to be frosting on the cake. What we're trying to suggest is let's put pressure on them to leave". "We're not going to force the Iranians out of Syria", Jeffrey added. "This is all about political pressure". 

Prime Minister Netanyahu warned Iran that Israel "will continue to act against you in Syria", where he maintained "Iran is trying to establish permanent military bases against us and has already launched missiles and drones into our territory". 

Iran's SNSC secretary, Ali Shamkhani, remarked that Israel "is seeking to consolidate the crisis in Syria and has taken actions in direct support of terrorist groups by targeting the Syrian army and counter-terrorism forces, but if it continues [its attacks] it will face regrettable reactions". 

Prime Minister Netanyahu met with President Trump in New York, where they "discussed their continued close coordination on countering the malign influence of Iran". Netanyahu underscored that "everybody should understand that Israel will continue to do what is necessary and defend ourselves against Iranian aggression in Syria, in Lebanon, anywhere else". 

In remarks en route to the UN General Assembly, Prime Minister Netanyahu assessed that "in the past three years Israel has been very successful in preventing both the establishment of an Iranian military presence in Syria and the attempt to transfer lethal weapons to Hizbollah in Lebanon". He went on to indicate that Israel "will continue to take action to prevent the establishment of an Iranian military presence in Syria and we will continue the security coordination between the IDF and the Russian military". 

In a statement, Israel's security cabinet indicated that it had "instructed the IDF to continue to take action against attempts by Iran to establish a military presence in Syria while continuing the security coordination with Russia". 

Russia's defence minister, Sergei Shoigu, announced that "a modern S-300 air defence missile system will be supplied to the Syrian armed forces within two weeks". The U.S. national security advisor, John Bolton, characterised the plan as a "significant escalation", and stressed that U.S. forces would remain in Syria "as long as Iranian troops are outside Iranian borders".    

The Israeli military pledged that it "will continue to operate in accordance with the directives of the Israeli government against Iran's incessant attempts to establish itself in Syria and to arm the terrorist organisation Hizbollah with lethal and accurate weapons". 

Prime Minister Netanyahu advised Hizbollah's leader to "think not twice but twenty times because if he confronts us he will receive a crushing blow that he cannot even imagine". 

In a call with Russia's president, Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister Netanyahu underscored Israel's determination "to prevent Iran from establishing a military presence in Syria as well as the attempts by Iran... to transfer to Hizbollah lethal weapons for use against Israel". 

In a statement on the 17 September downing of a Russian plane in Syria, Secretary Pompeo indicated that the "unfortunate incident" highlighted the need "to end Iran's provocative transit of dangerous weapons through Syria". 

Israel conducted airstrikes against a Syrian military facility where the IDF claimed "systems to manufacture accurate and lethal weapons were about to be transferred on behalf of Iran to Hizbollah in Lebanon". Syria shot down a Russian aircraft during the incident, killing fifteen. In a subsequent statement, Russia's defence ministry claimed that "the Israeli pilots used the Russian plane as cover and set it up to be targeted by the Syrian air defence forces", while the IDF pointed the finger at "the Assad regime... Iran and the Hizbollah terror organisation" for what it characterised as an "unfortunate incident". 

Recalling Israel's experience in the 1973 Yom Kippur War, Prime Minister Netanyahu remarked that "the political leadership [at the time] made a grievous mistake by not allowing a preemptive strike. We will never repeat this mistake". Netanyahu went on to assert that "Israel is constantly working to prevent our enemies from arming themselves with advanced weaponry. Our red lines are as sharp as ever and our determination to enforce them is stronger than ever".  

Syrian media reported "an Israeli missile attack on Damascus International Airport". 

In remarks at the trilateral summit on Syria, President Rouhani urged that "the presence and illegal interference of the U.S. in Syria, which has led to the continuation of insecurity in that country, must be ended immediately". 

The U.S. ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, remarked that he "can't imagine a circumstance where the Golan Heights will be returned to Syria. I cannot frankly imagine a circumstance where the Golan Heights is not part of Israel forever.... I think you'd put Israel at a great security disadvantage by giving up the high ground of the Golan Heights". Friedman added that "it is completely unacceptable to the U.S. that Iran remain in Syria. We're working on lots of different pathways to hopefully achieve that goal". 

A senior U.S. official indicated that "the new policy [in Syria] is we're no longer pulling out by the end of the year". 

Prime Minister Netanyahu remarked that Israel "will not allow Iran to establish a presence in Syria. We will take action to thwart its intention of arming its proxies and its forces with deadly weapons to be aimed at us. The terror and aggression of Iran on Syrian territory, or anywhere else, will be met with the iron first of the IDF". 

Prime Minister Netanyahu affirmed that "Israel is determined to prevent Iran and its proxies from establishing a military presence in Syria. We are taking strong action against these attempts and against the attempts to produce precision weaponry in all sectors, near and far. We will continue to take such action on behalf of the security of Israel". 

During an encounter with a senior Russian military official, Iran's defence minister, Amir Hatami, estimated that "victories [against terrorists in Syria] are only halfway, and operations need to continue in full coordination, and the military achievements need to be protected in all other arenas". 

The Israeli military revealed that it had "struck more than 200 targets in Syria and fired 800 missiles and mortar shells" since early 2017, primarily against Iran-related targets. Pegging Iran's Syrian expenditures at $17 billion, a senior IDF official also assessed that Iran had "slowed the process" of its presence since mid-year.

Syria accused Israel of being behind airstrikes "targeting a number of military sites in Tartous and Hama". 

The Israeli defence minister, Avigdor Lieberman, indicated that Israel is "monitoring everything that is happening in Syria and, regarding Iranian threats, we are not limiting ourselves just to Syrian territory. This also needs to be clear". In response to a question regarding Iraq, Lieberman added that "we will contend with any Iranian threat, and it doesn't matter from where it comes... Israel's freedom is total. We retain this freedom of action". 

Israel's defence minister, Avigdor Lieberman, assessed that "the Iranians have reduced the scale of their activity in Syria", but cautioned that "they are continuing to negotiate with the Assad government on the creation of garrison outposts in Syria". Lieberman went on to opine that "there is heavy economic pressure on [the Iranians]. The budget for Iranian forces in the Middle East was $2 billion, and even today less money is going to Syria and Hizbollah". 

ImageSat International published satellite imagery purportedly showing "that Iran is building various infrastructures which are related to... surface-to-surface missiles development and production" in Syria. 

In remarks delivered at the Peres Negev Nuclear Research Center, Prime Minister Netanyahu declared that "our enemies know very well what Israel is capable of doing. They are familiar with our policy. Whoever tries to hurt us - we hurt them". Netanyahu went on to assert that Israel "will continue to apply pressure on the dangerous, extremist regime in Iran", adding that the Israeli military "will continue to take strong and determined action against Iran's attempts to station forces and advanced weapons systems in Syria". Iran's foreign minister, Javad Zarif, retorted that "Iran, a country without nuclear weapons, is threatened with atomic annihilation by a warmonger standing next to an actual nuclear weapons factory. Beyond shameless in the gall". 

Israel's intelligence minister, Yisrael Katz, described the 26 August cooperation agreement between Syria and Iran as "a test for Israel", adding that "our response will be loud and clear". Katz went on to warn that Israel "will react in Syria with all our might against any Iranian target that threatens Israel, and if the Syrian army's air defence intervenes against us, it will pay the price". 

Elaborating on the 26 August cooperation deal between Iran and Syria, a senior Iranian military official revealed that "the continuation of presence of Iranian [military] advisors in Syria was one of the points of the defence and technical agreement". 

Iran and Syria signed a military cooperation agreement which Iran's defence minister, Amir Hatami, declared would "define the areas of presence, contribution and cooperation between Tehran and Damascus". Hatami also indicated that "Iran's private sector has high enough to capacities to help the Syrian people and government in the reconstruction process", and suggested that Iran "can help Syria to develop military equipment". 

A senior Russian diplomat asserted that "we treat Iran's steps to furnish its own security and activities with great respect, specifically in Syria at the invitation of this country's legitimate government. However, this does not mean that there are no prospects or room for further efforts in this sphere". 

The Russian foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, suggested that "all foreign forces staying [in Syria] without an invitation from the Syrian government must be eventually withdrawn". 

The U.S. national security advisor, John Bolton, asserted that "our interests in Syria are to finish the destruction of the ISIS territorial caliphate and deal with the continuing threat of ISIS terrorism and to worry about the presence of Iranian militias and regular forces". Bolton added that "we're going to see what we and others can agree in terms of resolving the conflict in Syria. But the one prerequisite there is the withdrawal of all Iranian forces back in Iran". 

The Israeli military announced that it had carried out an airstrike against seven suspected ISIS members after "their movements were tracked in the southern Golan Heights near the area of the triangle of Israel, Jordan and the DMZ of Syria". The military added that it "holds the Syrian regime responsible for everything that takes place within Syria and all violent acts or threats aimed at Israel from Syria".  

Syrian media reported that the country's "air defences... destroyed a hostile target west of Damascus". 

A senior Russian diplomat revealed that "Iranian forces have actually been withdrawn from [the southern de-escalation zone in Syria] in order not to irritate the Israeli administration", and asserted that "there are no units of heavy equipment and weapons that could pose a threat to Israel at a distance of 85km from the line of demarcation". 

Russia's ambassador in Israel remarked that Iran is "playing a very, very important role in our common and joint effort to eliminate terrorists in Syria. That is why, for this period of time, we see as non-realistic any demands to expel any foreign troops from the entirety of the Syrian Arab Republic". The ambassador also acknowledged that "it is not up to Russia to give Israel freedom to do anything, or to prohibit Israel to do anything". 

An Iranian official opined that following "liberation of Quneitra" by the Syrian regime, "the liberation of the occupied Golan Heights is possible with Syrians' efforts". 

The Israeli military announced that "two Patriot missiles were launched at a Syrian Sukhoi fighter jet that infiltrated about one mile into Israeli airspace". Syrian media maintained that the plane was "striking terrorists' hideouts... in Syrian airspace" when intercepted.

During a high-level diplomatic and political visit to Israel, Russian officials reportedly proposed a 100-kilometre buffer between the Golan ceasefire line and Iranian forces, which Israel turned down.

As a high-level Russian diplomatic and military delegation arrived for talks in Israel, Prime Minister Netanyahu asserted that "Israel insists that [the 1974] Separation of Forces Agreement between it and Syria be honoured", and affirmed that "Israel will continue to act against any attempt by Iran and its proxies to establish a military presence in Syria".

As Israel facilitated the evacuation of Syrian White Helmets from south west Syria, Prime Minister Netanyahu underscored that "we will not stop taking action in Syria against Iran's attempts to establish a military presence there".

Prime Minister Netanyahu told the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, "that Israel would continue to act against the establishment of an Iranian military presence in Syria".

Iran's foreign minister, Javad Zarif, asserted that "we have good communication and coordination with Russia and with the Syrian government and we will continue to do so. Our objective here is very clear, that is our objectives and the objective of the Russian Federation and that is to fight terrorism and extremism". 

An Iranian official opined that "neither Russians nor Europeans are in a position to decide on the withdrawal of Iranian military advisors from Syria". 

The U.S. national security advisor, John Bolton, opined that "the president has made it clear that we are [in Syria] until the ISIS territorial caliphate is removed and as long as the Iranian menace continues throughout the Middle East". 

Syrian media reported that Israel "launched a missile attack on one of the Syrian army military positions north of Al-Nairab Airport" near Aleppo. 

A senior Iranian official remarked that "Iran's presence in Syria and Iraq is advisory and if their respective governments want it, we will leave immediately". He went on to suggest that "the U.S. is seeking to divide Iraq into three parts and Syria to five". 

The Israeli military announced that "the Patriot aerial defence system launched a missile towards a Syria UAV flying over the demilitarised zone. The UAV was most likely intercepted". 

Prime Minister Netanyahu remarked that Israel had "a clear policy that we do not intervene and we have not intervened [in Syria]. This has not changed. What has troubled us is ISIS and Hizbollah and this has not changed. The heart of the matter is preserving our freedom of action against anyone who acts against us. Second, the removal of the Iranians from Syrian territory". 

The Israeli military "targeted three military posts in Syria in response to the infiltration of the Syrian UAV into Israel that was intercepted by the IDF earlier [in the day]". Syrian media reported that the targets of the airstrikes were in Quneitra governorate. 

A senior Iranian official opined that "the current situation is very critical and the world is under the hegemony of a wayward person: the U.S. president who defies international regulations. Therefore it is necessary that the cooperation [between Iran and Russia] be increased". 

Israel intercepted a Syrian drone that breached Israeli airspace.

Russia's defence minister, Sergei Shoigu, remarked that "one can't help thinking that the U.S.' chief objective in Syria is to prevent the situation from stabilising, prolong the conflict, and undermine the country's territorial integrity by creating enclaves not controlled by the government in Syria's remote regions". 

Israel's defence minister, Avigdor Liberman, revealed that "we are seeing efforts by figures associated with the [Iran-led] axis, with permission from the regime, to establish terror infrastructure...in the Syrian Golan Heights". Liberman added that "this is unacceptable, and we will act forcefully against all terrorist infrastructure that we see and identify in the area".

The secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, asserted that "the Iranian presence in Syria is not appropriate and will not be tolerated... we are going to undertake along with our partners a comprehensive program to diminish that activity".

Syrian media claimed that "the army air defence... confronted an Israeli aggression on T4 airport". 

The IDF confirmed that it had "targeted a Syrian military post from which a shell was launched and fell in the buffer zone, adjacent to and east of the security fence". 

The Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, assessed that the notion of an Iranian pullout from Syria "is absolutely unrealistic", adding that "it will not be possible to solve regional problems without participation of its key countries". 

The Israeli military tapped Major General Nitzan Alon to serve as the IDF's inaugural "project director for Iran issues". 

UNHCR estimated that 270,000 Syrian had been displaced in south-western Syria since mid-June. 

Prime Minister Netanyahu remarked that "at a time when the U.S. is economically striking at the Iranian regime, we are working to prevent Iranian forces and those of its proxies from establishing a military presence anywhere in Syria, and we will continue to do so".

The U.S. national security advisor, John Bolton, remarked that "there are possibilities for doing a larger negotiation [between Russia and the U.S.] on helping to get Iranian forces out of Syria and back into Iran". Bolton added that "I don't think Assad is the strategic issue. I think Iran is the strategic issue". 

The Israeli military revealed that "following a situation assessment in the Northern Command, it was decided to reinforce the 210th Division in the Golan Heights with additional armour and artillery troops".

The IDF chief of staff, Gadi Eisenkot, met with his U.S. counterpart to discuss "several issues of mutual concern including Iran's malign activities in the region and the broader regional security situation". 

The Israeli military revealed that it had distributed humanitarian aid to Syrian civilians near the border.   

Prime Minister Netanyahu pledged that Israel "will continue to take strong action against Iran's plan to turn Syria into a deadly missile base against us". He went on to assert that "we will continue to operate at close and longer ranges, both openly and in secret, against those who seek our lives". 

The UN estimated that over 45,000 Syrians had been displaced as a consequence of fighting between the regime and rebels in Syria's south-western Daraa governorate.

In a Persian-language Twitter post, Israel's secretary of defence, Avigdor Liberman, asked Iranians "do you know where your money goes?" He went on to suggest that Iran had committed $2.5 billion to local allies in 2018, and expended $14 billion in Syria. 

Syrian media claimed that "two Israeli missiles fell in the vicinity of Damascus international airport". 

Israel launched a surface-to-air missile at a drone approaching its airspace from Syria; the Patriot did not hit the drone, which subsequently withdrew. 

The U.S. reportedly advised southern rebels that although "we are still advising the Russians and the Syrian regime not to take any military action that violates the de-escalation zone in Syria's south west... you should not base your decision on the assumption or expectation of military intervention by us". 

An Israeli reconnaissance drone crashed in Hader.

A U.S. official revealed that Israel was behind the 17 June strike near Al-Bukamal which reportedly caused 60 casualties from the Syrian military and Iraqi PMUs. 

Prime Minister Netanyahu warned that "we will take action - and are already taking action - against efforts to establish a military presence by Iran and its proxies in Syria, both close to the border and deep inside Syria. We will act against these efforts anywhere in Syria".

The State Department stated "that any Syrian government military actions against the south west de-escalation zone risk broadening the conflict", adding that Washington "will take firm and appropriate measures in response to Syrian government violations in this area". 

Bashar Assad asserted that Iran had advisers but no bases in Syria, adding that "there's nothing that prevents the existence of such bases as long as Iran is an ally as is Russia". He also stated that no decision had been taken on Syrian forces moving south.

A senior Israeli military official assessed that the Iranians "are trying to increase their efforts and capabilities to launch rockets and establish terror cells that can penetrate into Israel and harm communities in the Golan Heights". 

Syria reportedly strengthened its air defences, including with Pantsir S1 surface-to-air missiles, close to the Golan Heights. 

Israel's defence minister, Avigdor Lieberman, estimated that the Hizbollah presence in southern Syria was "a few dozen... who serve as advisers or goaders". 

A senior IRGC official claimed that after Syria fired rockets against Israel in early May, "a message was sent to [Israel] that if they responded, we would raze to the ground the heart of Tel Aviv and they were forced to shut up and haven't done a damn thing since then". 

Prime Minister Netanyahu estimated that "the Iranian military presence right now in Syria includes about 18,000 Shiite militia... Iran wants to increase the number of such militia to 80,000 and to basically conduct a religious campaign in largely Sunni Syria". 

Prime Minister Neyanahu began trip to Europe to discuss Iran's nuclear program and "blocking Iran's aggression in the region, especially its attempts to establish a military presence against us in Syria and attack us from there".

A senior Syrian official cautioned against accepting "statements on an agreement about the south of Syria unless the U.S. withdraws its forces from the al-Tanf area". 

Iran's national security advisor asserted that Syria's firing of missiles against Israel in May, which Israel claimed was carried out by Iran, indicated "that the era of 'hit-and-run' has ended and the [Israeli] regime should be responsible for its behaviour". 

Bashar Assad maintained that "we do not have Iranian troops [in Syria]. We never had... we have Iranian officers who work with the Syrian army as help". Assad also claimed that there had been "not a single Iranian" casualty in Israeli strikes. 

Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, declared that "we are acting against an Iranian military presence anywhere on Syrian territory. An Iranian departure from southern Syria alone will not suffice". 

Iran rejected claims that it was conducting indirect diplomacy with Israel over developments in the Golan Heights. 

Israel reportedly informed Russia that its "red lines" regarding the presence of Iran and pro-Iranian forces in southern Syria had been expanded to the entire country. 

The U.S. warned that it "will take firm and appropriate measures in response to Assad regime violations" of the de-escalation zone in south-western Syria.  

Syrian media reported missile strikes in the vicinity of an airport outside Homs. 

A senior Syrian diplomat asserted that "whether Iranian forces or Hizbollah withdraw or stay in Syria is not up for discussion". 

The Israeli defence minister, Avigdor Lieberman, remarked that "we have no interests in a conflict on Syrian soil" but added that "if we see a continuation of [Iran's] attempts to entrench itself, we will act again". 

An Israeli minister suggested that "the most painful response you can give the Iranians is to recognise Israel's Golan sovereignty - with an American statement, a presidential proclamation, enshrined (in law)". 

An Israeli military official, revisiting the events of 10 May, asserted that "the Iranians fired 32 rockets". He added that "we are continuing with our operational mission against the arming of Hizbollah and Iranian moves to establish themselves in Syria". 

A senior Iranian official argued that "what happened in the Golan Heights inflicted very heavy damages on the Zionist regime". 

A Syrian diplomat maintained that "Israel's claim that it had targeted Iranian assets in Syria [on 10 May] has no substance". 

Israel's defence minister advised Assad to "get rid of the Iranians, get rid of Qasem Suleimani, and the Quds Force... their presence will only cause problems and damages".

Israel, responding to what it claimed were rocket launches by Iran's Quds Force, carried out a wave of airstrikes in Syria. Iranian officials disavowed involvement in the rocket launches.

Israel claimed that it had "identified approximately 20 rockets that the Iranian Quds forces launched at IDF forward posts on the Golan Heights".

Israel took credit for the 9 April airstrike against T4 and other actions in Syria as part of "Operation Chess". 

Iran's Foreign Ministry lambasted Israeli strikes in Syria as "a blatant violation of Syria's sovereignty and an aggressive move". 

Israel reportedly fired two missiles at targets on the outskirts of Damascus. 

The Israeli military reported "irregular Iranian activity in Syria", and warned that "any aggression against Israel will be met with a severe response".

An Israeli minister warned that "if Syria President Bashar Assad continues allowing the Iranians to operate out of Syria, it would be the end of him, the end of his regime". 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu maintained that Israel is "determined to block Iran's aggression against us, even if this means a (military) conflict. Better now than later". 

Iranian media rejected reports of significant Iranian casualties following 29 April missile strikes in Hama and Aleppo. 

Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, maintained that "Iran is trying to gobble up one country after the other. Iran must be stopped. Its quest for nuclear bombs must be stopped. Its aggression must be stopped

Israel's UN ambassador estimated that "there are over 80,000 extremists from all over the Middle East who are members of Shiite militias in Syria under Iranian control".

Israel's defence minister, Avigdor Lieberman, pledged that "every outpost in which we see Iran positioning militarily in Syria, we will destroy, and we will not allow this no matter what the price". 

An Iranian official warned Israel that following the 9 April airstrikes, "the punishment of the aggressor is certain but...Iran would decide on the time, place and way of giving a response to this 'act of evil'". 

Iran's foreign minister, Javad Zarif, asserted that he does "not believe that we are headed towards regional war but... Israel has continued its violations with international law, hoping to be able to do it with impunity because of the U.S. support". 

The war of words between Israel and Iran continued to heat up. In Tel Aviv, Prime Minister Netanyahu warned that "we hear the threats from Iran. IDF fighters and the security branches are ready for any development. We will fight anyone who tries to harm us". Netanyahu added that "we will not be deterred by the cost and we will exact a price from those who seek our lives". Meanwhile in Tehran, the IRGC deputy commander, Hossein Salami, declared that "hands are on the trigger and missiles are ready and will be launched at any moment that the enemy tries to carry out its sinister plots against our lands". 

The Israeli military released imagery of purported Iranian military bases in Syria.

Iran's foreign ministry warned that Israel "will sooner or later receive the necessary responses which will make them regret their deeds. They cannot do something and escape punishment". 

Responding to the recent U.S.-led strikes in Syria, the leader of Hizbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, argued that the U.S. "knows well that going towards a wide confrontation against the regime and the army and the allied forces in Syria could not end... any such confrontation would inflame the entire region". 

Responding to the U.S.-led strikes in Syria, Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanhyahu, stated that "it should be clear to President Assad that his reckless efforts to acquire and use weapons of mass destruction, his wanton disregard for international law and his provision of a forward base for Iran and its proxies endanger Syria". 

Responding to the suspected chemical weapons attack in Douma on 7 April, the U.S., the United Kingdom and France struck targets in Damascus and Homs that the Pentagon characterized as "Syrian chemical weapons infrastructure". According to President Trump, "the purpose of our actions...is to establish a strong deterrent against the production, spread and use of chemical weapons".

According to the Israeli military, "the Iranian UAV that entered our territory on February 10... carried explosive material and its mission was to carry out a destructive operation". 

A senior Hizbollah official downplayed the possibility that potential U.S. retaliation following the suspected chemical attack in Douma on 7 April might escalate "into a direct American-Russian clash or a wide state of war". He added that "if the assault on Syria has a very limited scope, then it's expected that reactions from the concerned sides in Syria will be tied to the Syrian arena". 

The leader of Hizbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, blamed Israel for the 9 April airstrikes against the T4 airbase in Syria and called it "a historic mistake... which brings [Israel] into direct confrontation with Iran". 

Commenting on the possibility of U.S. strikes in Syria, Russia's envoy to the UN asserted that "the danger of escalation is higher than simply Syria because our military are there... so the situation is very dangerous". 

Following the 9 April airstrikes against the T4 airbase, the Israeli defence minister, Avigdor Lieberman, remarked that "I don't know who attacked in Syria... but I know one thing for certain: We will not allow Iran to set up shop in Syria, regardless of the cost". 

Russia accused Israel of being behind missile strikes against the T4 airbase east of Homs; there were seven Iran