Jerusalem, Jan 2 – Israel's military has officially confirmed that its special forces raided an underground missile production facility located near Masyaf, Syria, in September 2024, which was set to produce hundreds of precision missiles intended for use against Israel by the Iranian-backed group Hezbollah. This complex is described as "the flagship of Iranian manufacturing efforts in our region", according to Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani, who detailed the operation during a recent media briefing.

The facility, established in a mountainside and under observation since its inception in 2017, was reportedly on the verge of beginning operations capable of manufacturing precision-guided missiles with ranges of up to 300 km (190 miles). Shoshani emphasized that "this ability was becoming active," marking a significant and immediate threat to Israeli security.

This raid, conducted on September 8, had previously been referenced in Israeli media, but Thursday marked its first formal acknowledgment by military officials, coinciding with comments from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who described it as "one of the most important preventative operations that we have taken against the efforts of the Iranian axis to arm itself in order to attack us." The military operation involved approximately 100 helicopter-borne troops and was considered one of the most complex missions by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in recent years, supported by airstrikes from dozens of aircraft.

In the aftermath of the operation, Israeli soldiers dismantled the manufacturing facility, including machinery and manufacturing equipment. Footage released by the military showcases troops boarding helicopters and maneuvering through a concrete-lined tunnel, as well as senior commanders operating from a control center during the raid.

While Israeli sources have indicated that at least 16 individuals were killed during the Israeli airstrikes around that time, Iranian officials condemned the raid, labeling it a "criminal attack." This operation is part of Israel's broader strategy of countering Iranian influence in the region, particularly as tensions have escalated following the decline of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime.

Israel has repeatedly accused the Assad government of facilitating the transfer of arms to Hezbollah from Iran, which it considers a core threat to its national security. In the context of these ongoing tensions, Israeli military chief Herzi Halevi noted that the raid was part of a series of missions aimed at dismantling Iran's missile manufacturing capabilities, reducing the ring of threats encircling Israel's borders.

As the situation in Syria continues to evolve, Israeli officials remain vigilant. In a statement made by Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar during a visit to a UN-patrolled buffer zone between Israel and Syria, he assured that "Israel is closely monitoring the situation in Syria and will not jeopardise its own security." With reflections on past attacks, Saar emphasized that Israel would not permit another incident akin to the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023.

For more details, visit Reuters and South China Morning Post.