Syria to Fire Scuds at Israel in Response to Airstrikes

Rasa - The Syrian government has announced that it will retaliate should Israel continues to conduct airstrikes on Syrian territory, media sources reported.

News ID: 428446

Date: 26 March 2017 - 20:41

RNA - Any further airstrikes on Syrian territory will be met with deadly force and retaliation strikes deep within Israeli soil, Sputnik reported.

Sputnik added that according to a message, delivered via Russian mediators, attacks on Syrian military objects will be met with Scud missiles launched at Israeli military (IDF) bases. If Israel attacks civilian infrastructure, Syrian missiles will be fired at Israel's Haifa port and petrochemical plant. The missiles will be launched without any prior notice, the statement said.

The notice follows Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's March 20 statement that protecting its borders is the right and obligation of every nation.

"Syria's forceful response to the Israeli attacks changed the rules of the game," said Syrian Ambassador to the UN Bashar al-Jaafari.

He added that the threatened response is "appropriate and in line with Israel's terrorist operation," and that Israel "will now think a million times (before striking again)".

On March 17, Israeli military reported several airstrikes on Syrian territory; they were followed by several anti-aircraft missiles launched at Israeli warplanes flying over Syrian territory. One of the missiles was reportedly intercepted by Israel's Arrow missile defense system. However, Syrian authorities claim they successfully downed an Israeli plane not far from Damascus.

Following the incidents, Israel threatened to conduct strikes specifically to destroy Syrian anti-air batteries.

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