may 2, 2013 - Israeli Air Force Attacks Hizballah arms convoy
Description:
US officials told CNN that Western intelligence agencies, including US, are investigating classified information from which the Air Force is attacking a Syrian target. They said the target was not chemical weapons repositories. The attack reportedly was not from Syria's airspace. Another American source: A convoy of weapons was bombed to Hezbollah
May 3, 2013: Surface-to-surface missiles struck
Israeli officials said that their aircraft had targeted advanced "game-changing" surface-to-surface missiles in Syria that were apparently bound for Hezbollah.
Iran's deputy foreign minister said that the Israeli air strike on Syria would have 'grave consequences' [AFP]
But Israeli officials do not say where in Syria the Israeli aircraft struck or whether they attacked from Lebanese, Syrian or Israeli airspace.
US officials said the airstrike hit a warehouse, but gave no other details.
The May 3 strike also followed days of renewed concerns that Syria might be using chemical weapons against opposition forces.
The Syrian government said it had no information on an Israeli attack, while Hezbollah and the Israeli military spokesman's office declined comment.
The missiles allegedly destroyed were believed to be m600s, a Syrian version of Iran's Fatah-110 missile - which an unnamed Israeli official said was an extremely accurate guided missile capable of traveling roughly 300km with a half-tonne warhead.
Some Israeli analysts say the shipment included Scud Ds, with a range of around 600km.
US President Barack Obama said, following the incident, that it was up to Israel to confirm or deny any strikes, but that the US co-ordinated very closely with Israel on military matters.
"The Israelis, justifiably, have to guard against the transfer of advanced weaponry to terrorist organisations like Hezbollah," Obama told the Spanish-language TV station Telemundo.
Israelis collect gas mask kits from a Jerusalem distribution station at a mall, as the country remained on high alert [Getty]
Hezbollah has reportedly restocked its arsenal with tens of thousands of rockets and missiles since a 2006 war with Israel ended in a stalemate.
These are believed to include anti-aircraft missiles, which could hamper Israel's ability to operate in Lebanese skies, and advanced Yakhont missiles that could be used to attack naval ships from the coast.
Hezbollah has not obtained any of Syria's reportedly large chemical weapons arsenal and is not interested in such weapons, Israeli defence official Amos Gilad said.
In a warning to Israel earlier in the week, Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah had said his militia was "ready and has its hand on the trigger" in the event of an Israeli attack.
He also said he would not "allow Syria to fall into the hands of America or Israel".
The Israeli military, meanwhile, called up several thousand reservists for what it called a "surprise" military exercise on its border with Lebanon.
A Lebanese security source said frequent Israeli overflights were monitoring potential arms shipments.
Added to timeline:
Syrian Civil War
Date:
Images:
![]()
