DUBAI, December 11. /TASS/. Tehran has it on good evidence that the military coup in Syria was orchestrated by the United States and Israel, with support from a "neighboring state," Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said during his address to the nation.
"There should be no doubt that what occurred in Syria was a coordinated plan by the Americans and Zionists. Yes, one of Syria’s neighboring states also played a role and still is, but the United States and the Zionists are the primary orchestrators. There is evidence to prove this," the SNN TV channel quoted Khamenei as saying.
"Their goals differ. Some seek to seize territories in the north, while others have their eyes on the south of Syria. The US aims to consolidate its position in the region, but mark my words, none of their goals will be achieved," the supreme leader emphasized. According to him, Syria’s youth will liberate the captured territories, and the US will be driven out of the region by resistance forces.
In late November, armed opposition forces launched a large-scale offensive on the Syrian army’s positions and entered Damascus on December 8, while government troops withdrew from the capital. Bashar Assad stepped down as Syrian president and left the country.
On the morning of December 8, the Israeli army announced that it had deployed forces in the buffer zone of the Golan Heights, which has separated Israeli and Syrian-controlled territories since 1974. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the move as a temporary defensive measure to counter potential threats from Syria. Meanwhile, reports began to surface about Israeli airstrikes on Syrian territory, though army representatives have yet to issue any official comments on the matter.