Israel's parliament approves bill allowing PM to declare war

JERUSALEM – The Israeli parliament has approved a law empowering the country's prime minister and defense minister to declare war without full Cabinet approval in "extreme circumstances."

While Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a presentation showcasing intelligence on Iran's nuclear program on live television, his coalition quietly pushed through a bill on Monday expanding his authority to order military operations.

The measure was passed amid heightened tensions with Iran over its involvement in Syria. It was approved less than a day after warplanes, believed to be Israeli, carried out an airstrike Syrian military facility, killing 26 pro-government fighters, most of them Iranians.

Israel is believed to have been responsible for several strikes on Iranian positions in Syria in recent months. Israeli officials typically neither confirm nor deny such reports.