Syria announced that it is fully prepared for the scenario of military conflict breaking out with Israel.
Damascus is fully prepared to defend its territory in a potential military conflict with Israel, Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad said on October 11 as the Middle East regional crisis continued.
Mr. Mekdad made the above remarks at a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in Damascus, where they discussed support for Palestinians in the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
Mr. Mekdad said that Syria “has resisted” Israel since 1948, when the first full-scale war broke out between several Arab countries and Tel Aviv.
“Syria has participated in the wars against the Israeli occupation and is ready to fight, but Syria will decide when and how the war will take place,” he emphasized, noting the importance of the Golan Heights, a part of southwestern Syria controlled by Israel since 1967.
Mr. Makded affirmed that reclaiming the Golan Heights from Israel is “our top priority”, adding that “Syria is willing to pay the price for this goal”.
Syria’s top diplomat also said that the presence of US and Turkish forces in the Middle Eastern country is also “illegal” and must end.
Meanwhile, Mr. Amir-Abdollahian continued to condemn “the illegal presence of foreign troops in Syria”.
The US launched airstrikes in Syria this month in response to missile and drone attacks on Washington’s bases in the region.
The Pentagon said it was targeting Iran-aligned militant groups behind the Jan. 28 attack on an outpost in Jordan called Tower 22, where three American soldiers were killed. Syria has condemned attacks on its territory as “illegal” under international law.
