Israeli defense officials: Assad still has chemical weapons

FILE - In this Tuesday, April 4, 2017 file photo, victims of the suspected chemical weapons attack lie on the ground, in Khan Sheikhoun, in the northern province of Idlib, Syria. Israeli defense officials say Syrian President Bashar Assad still has up to three tons of chemical weapons. The officials delivered the assessment on Wednesday, April 19, 2017, weeks after a chemical attack in Syria killed at least 90 people. (Alaa Alyousef via AP, File) FILE - In this Tuesday, April 4, 2017 file photo, victims of the suspected chemical weapons attack lie on the ground, in Khan Sheikhoun, in the northern province of Idlib, Syria. Israeli defense officials say Syrian President Bashar Assad still has up to three tons of chemical weapons. The officials delivered the assessment on Wednesday, April 19, 2017, weeks after a chemical attack in Syria killed at least 90 people. (Alaa Alyousef via AP, File)

By Associated Press April 19, 2017 3 min read

JERUSALEM (AP) – Israeli defense officials said on Wednesday that Syrian President Bashar Assad still has up to three tons of chemical weapons.

The assessment, based on Israeli intelligence, was revealed to reporters two weeks after a chemical attack in Syria killed at least 90 people. Israel, along with much of the international community, believes that Assad’s forces carried out the attack.

A senior military official told reporters that the Israeli intelligence estimates that Assad has “between one and three tons” of chemical weapons.

The assessment was confirmed by two other defense officials. All officials spoke on condition of anonymity under military briefing rules.

Assad has denied the allegations that he was behind the April 4 attack in the opposition-held town of Khan Sheikhun in Syria’s southern Idlib province.