Iranian General Salami: if Israel takes any action to wage a war against us, it will definitely lead to its own elimination and freeing of occupied territories; Netanyahu: The sanctions on Iran severely undermine funding sources.

 

A senior Iranian general confirmed the Islamic Republic’s military strategy is to wipe Israel off the map.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards head Brig. Gen. Hossein Salami was confirmed to have stated this week, “We announce that if Israel takes any action to wage a war against us, it will definitely lead to its own elimination and freeing of occupied territories,” in reference to Israel’s strikes in Syria. His remarks are one of several made in the past week threatening Israel following recent extensive IDF strikes that killed several Iranian soldiers in Syria. Reports claim 12 Iranians were killed, though the number is believed to be much higher.

Last week the Iranian general claimed Israel’s air bases are not safe, taking to Twitter to state, “Israel: Don’t trust in your airbases- they’re within reach.” The general boasted about Iran’s presence throughout the region, mainly through its proxies, which he referred to as the “Islamic resistance”. He stated last week “From Lebanon and Syria to Iraq and Yemen, with all that poverty you can still see the rise of a power called the Islamic Resistance… In Lebanon, Hezbollah is formed with a revolutionary identity and can shift the political balance in the eastern Mediterranean…”

Following Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reports that included satellite imagery of five Iranian bases in Syria last week, Salami again threatened Israel on Friday, claiming that the Jewish state has no place to escape. He declared, “Wherever you [Israel] are in the occupied land, you’ll be under fire from us, from east and west… When you escape, you’ll have no way but to the sea.”

Aside from its military bases in Syria, satellite images were released last week showing Iran’s ongoing work towards launching a remote sensing satellite into space from the Imam Khomeini Space Center. Iran intends to launch three Space Launch Vehicles, a violation of UN Security Council Resolution 2231. Iran continues to develop and test its ballistic missile program despite its violation of international law and the nuclear agreement. Iran launched a rocket into space in 2017, the action condemned by the United States and some European states. It has been developing its ballistic and space programs since, despite warnings and sanctions from the United States.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Netanyahu responded to threats over the weekend from Iranian-backed Hezbollah. Hezbollah head Hassan Nasrallah claimed Israel’s Operation Northern Shield to expose and destroy Hezbollah tunnels into Israeli territory was not successful and that there are more tunnels. Nasrallah alleged that Hezbollah and the “axis of resistance can take a decision to deal with the Israeli aggression in a different manner…”

Netanyahu refuted the claims and praised the Trump Administration’s sanctions on Iran. He stated Sunday, “The sanctions on Iran severely undermine funding sources.”

Be sure to watch Amir’s Middle East Update from the Israeli-Syrian border. He addressed Iran, Syria and other current events.

 

 

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