Israeli special forces raid missile site in Syria

Details are emerging of an apparent raid by Israeli special forces on a “Hezbollah missile production facility” in Syria.

Israel’s government has not commented on the operation, which, according to US media reports, took place earlier this week.

Syrian state media reported that 18 people were killed on Monday in the raid near the Syrian city of Masyaf, around 25 miles (40 km) north of the Lebanese border, with several dozen injured.

According to The New York Times, Israeli special forces descended from helicopters, placed explosives inside the Iranian-built facility, and removed sensitive information.

American and other officials quoted by the paper described a daring operation aimed at destroying the underground military facility.

Air strikes were reportedly used to neutralize Syria’s defenses and prevent reinforcements from reaching the site.

Separately, Axios—citing three sources familiar with the operation—reported that the elite Shaldag unit of the Israeli Air Force carried out the raid.

Axios also reported that Israel informed the US prior to the operation, and the White House did not oppose it.

People were seen inspecting a damaged area in the aftermath of what Syrian state media reported as an Israeli strike in Masyaf.

Israel’s government has not commented, but the raid appeared to be aimed at preventing Iran from supplying precision missiles to Hezbollah, its Lebanese ally and proxy.

Israel had attacked the facility six years ago and has conducted dozens of air strikes in Syria since the war in Gaza began nearly a year ago.

However, Israeli ground operations inside Syria are highly unusual. This would be one of the most sophisticated such operations in recent years.

Last Sunday, at least 18 people were killed in Israeli air strikes on multiple military sites near Masyaf, according to Syria’s health minister.

Israeli strikes have reportedly increased since the war in Gaza began in October last year, in response to cross-border attacks on northern Israel by Hezbollah and other groups in Lebanon and Syria.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR)—a UK-based monitoring group with a network of sources on the ground—Israeli air and artillery strikes have targeted Syrian territory more than 60 times this year.

These strikes have caused damage to or destruction of about 140 targets, including weapons depots, vehicles, and Iran-backed militia headquarters, according to the SOHR.

The strikes have killed at least 208 fighters, including 46 members of Syrian government forces, 43 Hezbollah fighters, 24 members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, and 22 civilians, the group added.

Credit: The war zone