JERUSALEM – Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman on Monday signalledhis country could strike Iranian targets in Iraq if they threatened Israel,saying it would hit wherever necessary.
“We will face any Iranian threat, no matter where it comes from,” Liebermansaid in response to a question about reports that Iran had providedballistic missiles to allied Shiite militias in Iraq in recent months.
“Our freedom of action is total,” he told a conference organised by anIsraeli media company.
Israel has pledged to stop Iran, its main enemy, from entrenching itselfmilitarily in neighbouring Syria, where Tehran is backing President Basharal-Assad s regime in his country s civil war.
A series of recent strikes in Syria that have killed Iranians has beenattributed to Israel.
Israel also acknowledges carrying out dozens of strikes in Syria againstwhat it says were advanced weapons deliveries to Hezbollah, theIranian-backed Shiite group.
Asked about the possibility of Israel hitting Iranian military positions in”Iraq or Tehran,” Lieberman said: “We do not limit ourselves to Syrianterritory alone. It must be clear.”
On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held talks with USspecial representative for Syria engagement James Jeffrey on thewar-ravaged country and Iran. – APP/AFP