Israel says Assad ordered chemical attack

Lieberman said the alleged attack in the neighbouring country was carried out “on the direct and premeditated command of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad with Syrian planes.” “I say this with 100 per cent certainty,” Lieberman told the Yediot Aharonot daily, according to excerpts from an interview published on the paper’s website. He did not say what his certainty was based on. The minister criticised the international community, saying there had been “zero” reaction. Britain, France and the United States on Wednesday held off calling a vote at the UN Security Council on a resolution demanding an investigation after Russia suggested it would veto it. Asked whether Israel should be more directly involved in the war in Syria, Lieberman replied, “Why would it be up to us to do the work of others? It is the responsibility of the international community.”

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Thursday warned Russia to re-think its support to the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria after a suspected chemical weapons attack on Khan Sheikhoun town left 86 people dead. “There’s no doubt in our mind that the Syrian regime under the leadership of Bashar al-Assad is responsible for this horrific attack, and we think it’s time that the Russians really need to think carefully about their continued support of the Assad regime,” he told reporters at the State Department here.