JERUSALEM, July 21 (UPI) -- The Israeli military is prepared to seize Syria's chemical weapons and missiles and to stop refugees from crossing the border, Defense Minister Ehud Barak said.
Barak said Friday that Israel will block any move by President Bashar Assad's regime to transfer advanced weaponry to Hezbollah in Lebanon, Ynetnews reported. He said the army has been ordered to increase its monitoring of Syria's weapons stockpiles.
If necessary, Israel would strike inside Syria, Barak said.
U.S. intelligence agencies say Syria has the largest stockpile in the world of chemical weapons, including mustard gas and the deadly nerve agents Sarin and VX.
While Syrians have poured over the border into Turkey, so far none have attempted to reach Israel, Barak said. That could change if Assad's regime falls, and the army is "alert and ready" to deal with any influx, he said.
