DAMASCUS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 25th December, 2019) Damascus considers the argument that the presence of Hezbollah and the Iranian military in the country justifies Israeli airstrikes on Syria unacceptable and "weak," Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem told RT broadcaster in an interview.
Overnight into Monday, Syrian media reported that explosions had been heard in Damascus and that the air defense forces had repelled an attack on the capital. The rockets had reportedly been launched from the "occupied territories." A source from Beirut International Airport told Sputnik that Israeli warplanes were in Lebanon's airspace during the attack. Israeli defense forces, which regularly conduct attacks on Syrian territory under the pretext of countering Iran's military presence there, declined to comment on the reports.
"Iran is present in Syria, namely its military experts, as well as Hezbollah. Damascus opposes Israel's use of this argument as justification for its aggression," Muallem said.
The Syrian minister compared Israel's arguments to those used by the United States to justify its fight against terrorists in Syria.
"These are weak excuses," he said.
Hezbollah and Iran, one of Israel's main adversaries in the region, have been supporting the Syrian government in its fight against terrorism amid the ongoing crisis. Iran has repeatedly said that its presence in Syria is coordinated with Damascus and does not have to be approved by Israel.
