Hezbollah rockets.

A senior Israeli official told the New York Times in a story published on Wednesday that if Syrian President Bashar al-Assad retaliates against Israeli attempts to stem the transfer of weapons to Hezbollah, “he would risk forfeiting his regime.”

The official, who declined to be identified and who was reportedly briefed by high-level officials on Israel’s assessment of the situation in Syria, told the New York Times that Israel “is determined to continue to prevent the transfer of advanced weapons to Hezbollah.”

“The transfer of such weapons to Hezbollah will destabilize and endanger the entire region,” the official said.