Top IDF officer: North Korea tensions could impact Israel's security
A top IDF officer disclosed on Tuesday how N.Korea could impact Israel's security, revealed new details about the standoff with Syria and pointed to the biggest threat facing the Jewish state.
By JOY BERNARDUpdated: APRIL 26, 2017 10:51Kim Jong-un, North Korea leader(photo credit: KNS / KCNA / AFP)
Ongoing tension between North Korea and the US could impact Israel’s security, a senior IDF officer told reporters at a special briefing held on Tuesday.The officer referred to the developing diplomatic rift between the US and the peninsula following North Korea’s recent and defiant attempts to extend its nuclear activity, despite repeated warnings from the West.He explained that Israel could bear the brunt of such an escalation in the relations between Washington and Pyongyang should it occur, because the US would have to divert security resources from the Middle East to Korea.North Korea holds artillery drill as tension spikes (credit: REUTERS)The officer also revealed new information regarding the most serious incident to take place between Israel and Syria in years. On March 17, IAF jets were targeted by Syrian missiles, an attack the IDF responded to immediately.However, the senior officer revealed that not only did the IDF launch an Arrow missile interceptor to shoot down the Syrian missile, it also destroyed 100 Syrian missiles that were on their way to Hezbollah in Lebanon.According to the officer, this action against the Syrian regime was not the first time Israel has operated against its northern neighbor in recent years. Israel usually refrains from publicly discussing air strikes it reportedly carried out in Syria, but it confirmed the one that took place on March 17.The officer also noted that Israel does not update Russia in real time about attacks the IDF carries out in Syria.Another significant revelation regarding Syria was that the IDF had known about Syrian President Bashar Assad’s chemical attack against his people on April 4, saying that immediately after the attack IDF intelligence was aware of the regime’s use of sarin gas against civilians.The officer concluded by pointing to what he deems as the most serious threat against Israel: Hezbollah, along the country’s northern border.He added that Hamas remains the most volatile threat, as its stronghold on the Gaza Strip continues to jeopardize Israel’s security.