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“The only interest we have is the security of Israel and its citizens,” an Israeli official remarked, emphasizing the gravity of the situation.

Historical Context: The Assad Regime and Chemical Weapons

The current conflict is steeped in a history fraught with allegations of chemical weapon use by the Syrian government under President Bashar al-Assad. Over the past thirteen years of tumultuous civil war, Assad's regime has been accused of using chemical weapons against its own citizens, actions which once provoked international uproar, notably during President Obama’s tenure in office. The former president had threatened military intervention should these weapons be deployed; however, concrete action was never initiated.