Israel stages largest snap exercise in years A similar snap exercise was held at the same last year, when speculation of an imminent Israeli strike against Iran was equally fevered. Some in Israel's defence establishment now consider it possible that the country is more likely to become entangled in Syria's civil war before the eruption of any confrontation with Iran. Senior intelligence and military commanders have given warning that Syria's chemical weapon sites are becoming increasingly insecure, raising the possibility of its nerve agent stockpiles falling into the hands of radical Islamists if order in the country breaks down altogether. They also fear that the Assad regime could supply Hizbollah, the Damascus-backed Shia Muslim militant group based in Lebanon, with chemical weapons in an act of desperation. Suggesting that Syria could be the prime focus, yesterday's manoeuvres appeared to simulate a cross-border attack on Syria. However, an even larger Iran-oriented exercise was held along the Lebanese border a fortnight ago. An Israeli attack on Iran could see Hizbollah, which is funded and armed by both Tehran and Damascus, retaliate by firing rockets onto Jewish territory.