Israel has a two-pronged tactic of eliminating a threat without drawing attention to itself. In 2007 a North Korean nuclear reactor in Eastern Syria was thus demolished. In the last few days, Israel carried out two strikes inside Syria. The target was sophisticated weapons headed for the Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon. The Bashar al-Assad regime in Damascus has accused Israel of joining hands with Syrian rebels. The Sunday attack is claimed to have been on a scientific research institute near Damascus which is suspected to be a chemical weapons facility. A global debate is going on over Syria’s chemical weapons arsenal and the weapons falling into wrong hands. It is reported that conventional weapons such as anti-aircraft missiles, anti-shipping missiles and long range ground to ground missiles were being transferred to the Hezbollah group. Israel, like the US, has drawn a ‘red line’ on chemical weapons in Syria. Iran is also said to be shipping arms to its ally, the Hezbollah via its other regional ally, Assad’s Syria. The Hezbollah had joined the Syrian government in the civil war. It is said that if Assad falls, Syrian chemical weapons will be transferred to the Hezbollah group.
Nevertheless, Israeli involvement in the Syrian crisis raises deep concern. The civil war may escalate into a regional conflagration should the Hezbollah group retaliate. The whole idea of neutralizing the Hezbollah group would then be frustrated. Different parts of the region in West Asia have condemned the Israeli attack. US President Barack Obama is keen on exercising caution about being proactive. It is time for him to be more decisive.