Israel confirms carrying out commando raid on Iranian missile factory in Syria

JERUSALEM – Israel took responsibility Wednesday for carrying out a commando raid back in September, which destroyed an Iranian ballistic missile manufacturing site deep into Syria; an operation, which at the time was widely attributed to Israel’s military.

Taking place less than two weeks before the infamous beeper and walkie talkie operation over the border in Beirut, security sources immediately pointed the finger at Israeli commandos for carrying out the raid on Syrian soil on Sept. 8. Initial reports about the raid, which targeted the Scientific Studies and Research Center, known as CERS or SSRC, in the Masyaf area, and demolished an underground facility used by Iranian forces to manufacture precision missiles for Hezbollah, did not emerge until a few days later.

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Last Thursday night, around 11:00, residents of western and central Syria heard the sounds of a large number of huge explosions in the direction of the Masyaf area near the Syrian-Lebanese border. These explosions were not the… pic.twitter.com/sWuks7K0PI

— Eva J. Koulouriotis | إيفا كولوريوتي (@evacool_) September 11, 2024

Members of the Israel Air Force’s elite “Shaldag” unit struck the site, which lies approximately 120 miles north of Israel, although merely a quarter of that distance from Syria’s western coast, according to the Times of Israel.

Under the cover of darkness and with the air-to-surface missiles blasting the area around the facility to prevent Assad regime soldiers access, opposition Syria TV network claimed Israeli military helicopters did not land on enemy soil, rather hovering above it to allow special forces troops to rappel down to the ground.

Combat helicopters and drones were also in close attendance to the military choppers. Israeli troops removed equipment and documents. They also mined the facility from the inside, largely destroying it, and were then able to evacuate under air cover.