NUSA DUA, Indonesia - Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said Israel was becoming an unstoppable force as he condemned its incursion into Syria.

Mahathir said Israel was inflaming the Middle East problem "and making things more difficult."

Israel on Sunday launched an air attack in Syria on what it said was a militant camp used by Islamic Jihad, which carried out a deadly suicide attack in Israel a day earlier.

It was the deepest military strike by Israel inside Syria since the Yom Kippur war 30 years ago.

"These things will never end," said Mahathir, the 77-year-old veteran Southeast Asian leader who will retire at the end of this month.

He was speaking in Bali, where he will attend a summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) today and tomorrow.

Israeli defiance

Asked what could stop Israel, he said: "The only people who could stop Israel will be America but Israel now even defies America."

Malaysia, a moderate Muslim-majority Southeast Asian nation, has been ruled by Mahathir for the past 22 years.

Mahathir also said he was confident Asean would continue as a strong regional entity. "Asean has already been put on a firm footing and it will carry on although there will be ups and down," he said.

"I don't think anybody should worry just because I am resigning," he laughed, when asked by reporters to predict the future of the 10-member grouping without him as a leading and vocal member.

Southeast Asian leaders are planning a special tribute to Asia's longest-serving elected leader at his farewell Asean summit. - AFP