Syria responds to 'Stone Age' threats

Islam Times reports from Press TV: After an Israeli official said that Israel could send Syria back to the Stone Age, a source close to decision-makers in Damascus told the Kuwaiti Manbar Al Rai newspaper on Saturday, that Syria could send Israel "back to prehistoric times" if the Israelis attacked with unconventional weapons.

Last week, an unidentified Israeli minister was quoted in London's Sunday Times as saying, "We'll return Syria to the Stone Age by crippling its power stations, ports, fuel storage and every bit of strategic infrastructure if [Hezbollah] dares to launch ballistic missiles against us."

"In a message, sent earlier this month, Israel made it clear that it now regards Hezbollah as a division of the Syrian army and that reprisal against Syria will be fast and devastating," the newspaper quoted the Israeli official as saying.

The article went on to say that the warning, which was conveyed to Damascus by a third party, was aimed at reinforcing an earlier statement by Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, who has said that if war breaks out "the Assad dynasty will lose its power and will cease to reign in Syria."

The threats came after Israel alleged that Syria had recently provided Lebanon's Hezbollah with medium-range Scud missiles. On Thursday Damascus strongly denied the accusations of delivering Scud missiles to the group.

"For some time now, Israel has been running a campaign claiming that Syria has been supplying Hezbollah with Scud missiles in Lebanon," a Syrian foreign ministry statement said.

"Syria strongly denies these allegations which are an attempt by Israel to raise tensions in the region," it added.

"Israel is seeking to create a climate that will pave the way for an eventual Israeli attack to avoid responding to the demands of a just and comprehensive peace," it concluded.