Israel says 2007 Syria strike message to enemies
Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman (pictured) said on 21 March that a 2007 strike on a suspected Syrian nuclear reactor was a message to his country's enemies, after the military acknowledged the raid for the first time.
Lieberman said: ‘The motivation of our enemies has increased in recent years, but the strength of our army, our air force and our intelligence capabilities have increased compared with the capabilities we had in 2007. This equation should be taken into account by everyone in the Middle East.’
Israel’s Intelligence Minister Yisrael Katz was more explicit, specifically naming Iran.
Katz wrote on Twitter: ‘The courageous decision of the Israeli government almost 11 years ago to destroy the nuclear reactor in Syria and the successful operation following it sends a clear message: Israel will never allow nuclear weapons to countries like Iran who threaten its existence.’
Earlier on 21 March, Israel's military formally admitted carrying out the top-secret raid and released newly declassified material related to the operation.
The admission comes as Israel intensifies its warnings over the presence of its main enemy Iran in neighbouring Syria.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also repeatedly called for the nuclear deal between world powers and Iran to be changed or eliminated.
Netanyahu recently warned that Israel will ‘never let Iran develop nuclear weapons.’
The 2007 strike occurred at a desert site in the Deir Ezzor region of eastern Syria on what Israel says was a nuclear reactor under construction.
It had long been widely assumed that Israel carried out the strike. Syria has denied it was building a nuclear reactor.
More from Defence Notes
-
![What does the US decision to pause Ukraine support mean for the war and the stock markets?]()
What does the US decision to pause Ukraine support mean for the war and the stock markets?
NATO and other Western countries had been singing from the same song sheet since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia three years ago but the alliance has been weakened as the new US administration under President Donald Trump pauses military aid to Ukraine.
-
![Ireland begins work on buying fighter jets and doubling the naval fleet]()
Ireland begins work on buying fighter jets and doubling the naval fleet
Since the release of Ireland’s Commission on the Defence Forces (CoDF) report two years ago there have been whisperings about the potential of Ireland buying fighter jets, one of the most ambitious recommendations. The prospect has now inched closer.
-
![UK defence budget increased to 2.5% by 2027 as geopolitical landscape darkens]()
UK defence budget increased to 2.5% by 2027 as geopolitical landscape darkens
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer raises defence spending, while both NATO and President Trump demand significant further increases.
-
![Ukraine leads the way on battlefield use of directed energy weapons]()
Ukraine leads the way on battlefield use of directed energy weapons
Increased drone use in Ukraine and in Middle Eastern conflicts has created a strong impetus to develop laser and radio-frequency firepower as exploration of direct-energy technology intensifies.
-
![Saudi Arabia eyes large procurement spend as it boosts 2025 defence budget to $78 billion]()
Saudi Arabia eyes large procurement spend as it boosts 2025 defence budget to $78 billion
The new figure is an increase from US$75.8 billion in 2024 and showcases the country’s focus on its Saudi Vision 2030 to achieve a diversified and sustainable economy, reducing the Kingdom’s dependency on oil.
