Iran: strike on Syria may trigger attack on Israel

Iran has issued a thinly veiled threat to Israel, saying that in the event of a U.S. attack on Iranian ally Syria some groups may retaliate by striking the Jewish state.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian said at a briefing Tuesday that if the U.S. launches a military strike against Syria, Israel would be under threat from “some groups and movements that have formed over the past two or three years.” He did not elaborate.

He said Iran welcomes Russia's initiative calling for Syria to place its chemical weapons under international control.

At the same time, he insisted that Iran has proof that the chemical attack last month was launched by Syrian rebels, not government forces as the U.S. claims.