CBS NEWS
BEIRUT – The Syrian regime and opposition forces found one thing to agree on, albeit for different reasons: They both condemned Israel for carrying out two airstrikes in the Middle Eastern country over the past 48 hours, a major escalation of Israeli involvement in the Syrian civil war.
Israel rushed to beef up its rocket defenses on its northern border Sunday to shield against possible retaliation from both Syria and its patron Iran. Although Syria and Iran hinted at possible retribution, the rhetoric in official statements appeared relatively muted.
Syrian opposition forces also spoke out against the airstrike in a press statement, saying it hurt their efforts to take down the regime of Bashar Assad.
“The Syrian Coalition is suspicious of the timing of this attack,” the statement said. “These strikes have given the regime the necessary time to draw attention away from its crimes and massacres on the Syrian coast. It is not unlikely that as a result of these attacks, and world distraction, more crimes will be committed.”
“So we will provide them recognition and obviously with thatrecognition comes responsibilities on the part of that coalition,” he said. “It is a big step.”
