Israeli minister threatens Assad over any Iranian attacks from Syria

An Israeli security cabinet minister said on Monday that Israel could kill Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and topple his government if Iran used Syrian territory to carry out attacks on Israel.

"Israel has not gotten involved in the (Syrian) civil war so far," Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz was quoted as telling the Israeli news site Ynet.

"If Syrian President Bashar al-Assad continues allowing Iran to operate within Syrian territory, Israel will liquidate him and topple his regime," he was quoted as saying.

"If Assad lets Iran turn Syria into a military base against us, to attack us from Syrian territory, he should know that will be the end of him."