[Jerusalem Post] Yaakov Katz - Israel's response to a Syrian attack will be nothing like its reaction to the cross-border Hizballah attack of July 12. Defense officials say the retaliation would be harsher, fiercer, and far deadlier. The Syrian bank of targets would not only include military infrastructure, such as bases, rocket launchers and silos, but also government buildings, headquarters, power plants, electricity grids, and water reservoirs. "We will shut down the entire country" was how one defense official described the potential response. The Syrian military has built up a strong array of missiles including some that are capable of carrying warheads filled with nerve gas, such as Sarin and VX. Damascus is currently in a race to build up its army and has recently drastically increased its defense budget after some $14 billion in loans it owed were erased. According to the Middle East Military Balance, published by the Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies at Tel Aviv University, Syria has several hundred Scud missiles and close to 100 missile launchers.
2006-10-09 01:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive