Israel warns Assad, will bomb palaces if Iran operations continue

Israel has threatened to bomb Syrian President Basher Assad’s palaces if he does not cease or reduce military cooperation with Iran within his territory, the Arabic news site Elaph reported late on Monday.

The Jerusalem Post was unable to independently confirm the dramatic developing story, and the IDF declined to comment. The report could either dovetail with ongoing Israeli efforts to rid itself of an Iranian threat embedded in Syria, or could be an exaggeration of such efforts by various interested parties.

Elaph said that the escalation also occurred as relations between Israel and Russia have deteriorated somewhat over the Ukraine war, leading Moscow to give Iran a freer hand in its operations in Syria.

Until now, Russia had been a moderating force on Iran’s presence in Syria and the proximity to the border of that presence.