Israel's parliament approves bill allowing PM to declare war
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}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.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}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.