US official: Israel conducted airstrike in Syria
CNN, CBS report Israel launched attack in Syria. Israeli officials confirm airstrike for AP, say it targeted shipment of advanced missiles. Syrian ambassador: 'I'm not aware of any attack;' source: Netanyahu convened cabinet for secret meeting
CNN quoted two unnamed US officials as saying Israel most likely conducted the strike "in the Thursday-Friday time frame" and that Israel's warplanes did not enter Syrian airspace. A security source in the region said on Saturday that the target was not a Syrian chemical weapons facility but rather a building.
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CNN said the officials did not believe Israel targeted a chemical weapons facility. CBS News cited US sources as saying Israel targeted a warehouse.
Israel-Syrian border (Photo: AFP)
CNN's Pentagon Correspondent, Barbara Starr reported that US and Western intelligence agencies were reviewing classified information, pointing to an Israeli strike conducted most likely in the Thursday-Friday time frame, as it coincided with additional US data showing that during this time Israel was flying a high number of warplanes over Lebanon.
A security source in the region said on Saturday that the target was not a Syrian chemical weapons facility, or a shipment of weapons headed for Hezbollah in Lebanon as NBC reported, but rather a building.
There was no official confirmation. A White House spokeswoman referred questions on the CNN report to the Israeli government. The Pentagon declined comment.
In Jerusalem, an Israeli military spokeswoman said, "We do not comment on reports of this kind."
But one source told Reuters that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had on Thursday night convened his security cabinet in Jerusalem for secret talks - often a sign of imminent action. The source, who would not be identified by name or nationality, did not elaborate on what was discussed at the meeting.
Israeli Embassy spokesman Aaron Sagui would not comment Friday night specifically on the report of an Israeli strike into Syria.
But a spokesman for the Israeli Embassy in Washington said, "We cannot comment on these reports, but what we can say is that Israel is determined to prevent the transfer of chemical weapons or other game-changing weaponry by the Syrian regime to terrorists, especially to Hezbollah in Lebanon."
Syrian UN Ambassador Bashar Ja'afari told Reuters, "I'm not aware of any attack right now."
The CNN report said that during the time frame of the attack, the United States had collected information showing Israeli warplanes overflying Lebanon.
In January this year, Israel bombed a convoy in Syria, apparently hitting weapons destined for Hezbollah, according to diplomats, Syrian rebels and security sources in the region.
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