Israel behind attack in southern Syria: Netanyahu

By Mustafa Deveci</p> <p>JERUSALEM (AA) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed Tuesday that Israel had carried out artillery strikes overnight in southern Syria.</p> <p>Netanyahu spoke to reporters at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv before flying to Warsaw, Poland, where a conference on peace in the Middle East will be held on Feb. 13-14.</p> <p>Stressing the importance of the conference, Netanyahu said its focal point was Iran.</p> <p>“We are working all the time to block Iran. We operate every day, including yesterday, against Iran and its attempts to entrench itself in the region,” he said, making it clear that Israel was responsible for the attack.</p> <p>Local sources in Syria said Israel shelled positions in southern Quneitra of Hezbollah, which supports the Bashar al-Assad regime.</p> <p>Israeli authorities had not made any statement on the issue.</p> <p>Israel has been carrying out airstrikes in Syria in recent years on the pretext that Iranian forces are in the region.</p> <p>