Iran on Tuesday blamed Israel for the ongoing violence in Syria, Iran's semi-official FARS news agency reported.

Forces loyal to Assad killed at least 108 people and injured around 300, mostly women and children, on Friday in Houla in Homs province, according to the UN peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous. The event marks one of the biggest massacres of the 14-month uprising against his rule. Syrian authorities have denied carrying out the attack, instead blaming it on "terrorists."

Speaking at a weekly press conference, Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast stated: "Any crime committed (in Syria) can be traced back to the (Israeli) regime's hirelings."

Mehmanparast touted the UN-Arab League Annan plan to end the bloodshed in Syria, calling it the only way to settle the ongoing crisis, but blamed Israel for deliberately sabotaging the plan. "We palpably feel the Zionist regime's hand in Syria's internal developments," Mehmanparast said, adding that "The Zionist regime's backers aspire to the failure of Annan's plan."

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Sunday condemned the recent massacre in Syria's Houla, expressing "revulsion" and placing blame for the incident squarely on Syrian President Bashar Assad.

The massacre was also roundly condemned by the international community, including the United Nations, the United States, Russia, the Gulf Cooperation Council and the European Union.

Hezbollah added its voice in condemnation of the recent developments in Houla, but refrained from assigning blame. The Lebanon-based Shi'ite terrorist group is a main ally of the Assad regime.