Iran and Hezbollah are actively assisting Syrian President Bashar Assad and
providing him with weaponry as part of an effort to ensure that he survives in
the face of growing resistance and protests, head of Military Intelligence
Maj.-Gen. Aviv Kochavi said on Wednesday.
Kochavi spoke at the graduation
ceremony for IDF intelligence officers.
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retain its power and as time passes, Iran and Hezbollah increase their efforts
to help the Assad regime survive by providing knowledge, weaponry and other
capabilities,” Kochavi said.
The IDF intelligence chief said it was
possible that in the long term the ongoing upheaval in the Middle East would
have a positive outcome, but in the immediate term “the dangers are
increasing.”
Kochavi’s comments came a day after Turkish customs
officials intercepted four trucks suspected of carrying military equipment from
Iran to Syria.
The governor of the Kilis province said the trucks were
confiscated at the Oncupinar border crossing into Syria after police received
information about their cargo, according to Dogan news agency.