Israel strikes suspected weapons sites in Syria as Russia grants Assad political asylum [Video]

Israel has struck suspected chemical weapons sites and long-range rockets in Syria in order to prevent them from falling into the hands of hostile actors, the foreign minister said Monday.Syrian rebels reached Damascus over the weekend and overthrew President Bashar Assad’s government following nearly 14 years of civil war, raising hopes for a more peaceful future but also concerns about a potential security vacuum in the country, which is still split among armed groups.In a separate development, the Kremlin said Russia has granted political asylum to Assad, a decision it said was taken by President Vladimir Putin. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on Assad’s specific whereabouts and said Putin was not planning to meet with him.Israelis have welcomed the fall of Assad, who was a key ally of Iran and Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group, while expressing concern over what comes next. Israel says its forces temporarily seized a …