A Syrian army test of cutting-edge missiles on Saturday, December 3 was aimed at showing the international community what the beleaguered Assad regime is capable of, Israeli military sources said Sunday.

Saturday’s test in northeastern Syria included 300-kilometer range Scud B missiles fired towards the Iraqi border.

Sources said the show of strength, broadcast live on Syrian TV, was not necessarily intended to intimidate Israel, but rather any Western powers contemplating military intervention in Syria, The Jerusalem Post reported.

Western countries have been reluctant to speak openly about a Libya-style intervention in Syria, but the mounting death toll has led some policymakers to consider more drastic measures to stem the bloodshed.