Israel admits to bombing suspected nuclear reactor in Syria in 2007

Israel's defense minister has admitted for the first time that it bombed a Syrian facility in 2007 that the International Atomic Energy Agency deemed "very likely" to have been a nuclear reactor, reports BBC News.

"The motivation of our enemies has increased in recent years, but the strength of our army, our air force and our intelligence capabilities have increased compared with the capabilities we had in 2007. This equation should be taken into account by everyone in the Middle East."

Why it matters: Per the BBC's Tom Bateman, there was never much of a doubt that Israel was behind the now-decade old attack on the Syrian facility. But the timing of Israel's admission is notable as the country accuses rival Iran of maintaining nuclear ambitions.