The American website Axios has confirmed that an elite unit of the Israeli Occupation Army conducted an extraordinary raid in Syria, destroying an underground precision missile factory that both “Israel” and the United States claim was built by Iran, according to three sources familiar with the operation.
The website added that “Israeli airstrikes on Syria have intensified since Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7, along with escalating cross-border clashes between Hezbollah and Israel. However, Sunday’s raid marked the first ground operation by the Israeli military in recent years targeting Iranian objectives in Syria.”
It appears that the destruction of the factory represents a significant blow to Iran and Hezbollah’s efforts to produce medium-range precision missiles on Syrian soil. The Israeli government has remained unusually silent on the matter and has not claimed responsibility, likely to avoid provoking retaliatory actions from Syria, Iran, or Hezbollah.
Official Syrian media and Syrian opposition groups reported intense air raids by the Israeli Air Force on Sunday evening, local time, in several areas west of Syria, including near the city of Masyaf, close to the Lebanese border.
Official media stated that “at least 16 people were killed, and 40 others were wounded,” condemning the airstrikes as blatant aggression. Iran’s Foreign Ministry also denounced the attack, calling it criminal.
On Wednesday, an opposition Syrian television channel and Greek Middle East expert Eva J. Koulouriotis reported that the airstrikes were a cover for an Israeli ground operation in Masyaf.
Three sources familiar with the operation confirmed that the elite Israeli Air Force unit, “Shaldag,” carried out the raid and destroyed the facility, according to Axios.
Two sources stated that “Israel had briefed the Biden administration in advance of the sensitive operation, and the U.S. did not oppose it.” The Israeli special unit caught the Syrian guards at the facility by surprise, killing many of them during the raid, although no Iranian or Hezbollah fighters were harmed.
The sources added that “the special forces used explosives they brought with them to demolish the underground facility, including advanced machinery inside, while the airstrikes were aimed at preventing the Syrian army from sending reinforcements to the area.”
According to the website, Iran began constructing the underground facility in coordination with Hezbollah and Syria in 2018, after a series of Israeli airstrikes destroyed much of Iran’s missile production infrastructure in Syria.
Sources revealed that the Iranians decided to build the underground factory deep within a mountain in Masyaf to make it immune to Israeli airstrikes.
The two sources claimed that the Iranian plan was to produce precision missiles at this fortified facility near the Lebanese border, enabling quick delivery to Hezbollah in Lebanon with minimal risk from Israeli air raids.
Israeli intelligence discovered the construction and monitored it for over five years under the codename “Deep Layer.” One of the sources noted that the Israelis realized they couldn’t destroy the facility through airstrikes alone, requiring a ground operation instead.
One of the sources added that the Israeli military had considered the operation at least twice in recent years but had not approved it due to the high risks involved.
