Israel warned Syria to prevent Hezbollah from mounting attacks in solidarity with the Palestinians of the Gaza Strip.
Citing Israeli and European sources, Reuters reported Friday that Jerusalem passed Damascus a secret message last month via an unnamed foreign mediator.
The message was that should Israel mount a major sweep of Gaza and Hezbollah retaliate with its own attacks from Lebanon, Israel would hold Damascus responsible – meaning a possible war with Syria.
Syria, like Iran, is a Hezbollah sponsor.
The reported message was delivered shortly before Israeli forces waged a five-day Gazan offensive against Hamas rocket crews, killing approximately 120 Palestinians, many of them civilians. Hezbollah, though a patron of Hamas and other Palestinian terrorist factions, did not strike.
Israeli officials had no immediate comment on the report.
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