Israel weighs consequences of US-led tripartite attack on Syria

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has expressed support for the decision by US President Donald Trump to attack Syria over its alleged use of chemical weapons.

The joint missile strike by the US, Britain and France on Saturday came just days after Israeli forces reportedly attacked a Syrian air base.

Israel has neither confirmed nor denied the strike, but the T4 air base in Syria's central province of Homs is believed to be where Iran launched a drone that infiltrated Israeli airspace two months ago.

A day earlier, just hours after the Western coalition struck the military targets in Syria, the Israeli army released a statement saying the drone was armed and intended to carry out an attack in Israel.

Israel and Syria are bitter enemies sharing a tense border.

The internal strife in Syria has provided fertile ground for Iran to enter and use the territory as a stepping stone for military attacks on Israel.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly said he will not allow Iran to consolidate its power on Israel's northern borders, either in Lebanon or Syria.

Iran and Israel are archenemies, as the Jewish state views Iran's regional and nuclear ambitions as an existential threat.

The surgical strikes by the western coalition on Saturday, however, turned out to target only Syria's chemical weapons capabilities, with no intention of destabilizing the regime of Syrian President Bashar alAssad or diminishing Iran's influence there.

In consequence, the ultimate implications of the coalition attack largely depend on whether it is a one-off response or the beginning of a massive campaign against the Syrian government.

“If it is a multi-phased attack on Syria, we will see an Iranian response against Israel,” said Dina Lisnyansky from the Political Studies Department at Bar Ilan University in Israel.

“This may come directly from Iran or from Hezbollah,” she said. Hezbollah is an antiIsrael militant organization in Lebanon.

Israel has reportedly carried out scores of military strikes in Syria against militant groups, such as Hezbollah, over their suspected transport of weapons for use in attacks on Israel.

In addition, Russia's involvement since late 2015 has further complicated the situation in Syria, placing Israel in a stickier position.

With both air forces flying in Syrian airspace, a certain degree of cooperation is needed between Israel and Russia to avoid unwanted incidents.

While Russia is being agitated by the coalition attack on Syria, Israel might be the one to pay the price.

Israel also fears that Russia may arm the Syrian air force with more sophisticated air defense systems that could weaken Israel's ability to strike, Lisnyansky noted.

However, the long-term effect of international involvement in the Syrian war may not necessarily be negative for Israel.

“For Israel, the attack is important as a message that Iran, Syria are not immune from US involvement in the Middle East,” Zehavi said.