Even though the continued escalation of tensions over the situation in Syria is unlikely to spiral into a full-scale world war, it can still lead to a major regional conflict, Reuven Ben-Shalom, an Israeli Air Force veteran, said.

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The conflict in Syria remains a source of a major international security concerns as “global powers are at play” there, and some regional actors, such as Israel, who also pursue their own aims in this situation, Ben-Shalom, an Israeli Lieutenant Colonel in Reserve and a columnist for the Jerusalem Post, told RT’s Oksana Boyko.

With so many interests intertwined, the possibility of a “miscalculation” in the policy of one of the players is growing, which, in turn, could make the situation quickly “deteriorate into a regional war,” he said. At the same time, he called the fears of a potentially looming global conflict exaggerated, adding that the possibility of a world war over Syria is unlikely.

The Israeli Air Force veteran also justified his county’s violation of its neighbors’ sovereignty, and particularly strikes against facilities in Syria, by saying that Israel just has no other choice. “The only reason to enter the Syrian airspace would be to take specific targets threatening us,” he said.

“With all due respect, at the end of the day, we have sometimes to go and do what needs to be done because there is an imminent threat,” Ben-Shalom said while justifying the Israeli actions. “At that time we have to act and diplomacy must be put aside,” he added.

Find the full interview here.