Reports: Israel Destroys Iranian Missile Factory in Syria Ground Raid

An elite Israeli military unit carried out a “highly unusual raid” earlier this week in Syria, targeting and destroying an underground precision missile factory reportedly constructed by Iran, according to three sources who spoke to U.S. news outlet Axios.

The factory’s destruction marks a significant setback for Iran and Hezbollah’s efforts to manufacture precision medium-range missiles on Syrian soil, Axios reported. The Israeli government has maintained an unusual silence about the operation, refraining from claiming responsibility to avoid provoking potential retaliatory strikes from Syria, Iran, or Hezbollah, according to the sources.

Syrian state media and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported heavy Israeli airstrikes late Sunday in several parts of western Syria, including near Masyaf, close to the Lebanese border. The strikes reportedly left at least 16 dead and 40 injured. Syrian media condemned the attacks as “blatant aggression,” while Iran’s foreign ministry labeled the strikes “criminal.”

On Wednesday, a Syrian opposition television station and Greek Middle East expert Eva J. Koulouriotis both suggested the airstrikes were a cover for a ground raid conducted by Israeli forces. Three sources confirmed to Axios that Israel’s elite Sayeret Matkal unit was responsible for the raid, which destroyed the missile facility.

Two of the sources revealed that Israel had briefed the Biden administration ahead of the sensitive operation, and the U.S. did not oppose it. According to one source, the Israeli special forces surprised the Syrian guards, killing several of them, though no Iranian or Hezbollah personnel were harmed.

The elite unit used explosives brought with them to demolish the underground facility, including sophisticated machinery inside, while the airstrikes were meant to prevent Syrian military reinforcements from reaching the area.

Two sources told Axios that the Iranians had started building the underground facility in 2018, in cooperation with Hezbollah and Syria, after a series of Israeli airstrikes had wiped out much of Iran’s missile production infrastructure in Syria. The underground factory, deep within a mountain in Masyaf, was chosen for its protection from Israeli airstrikes, with the goal of producing precision missiles for Hezbollah near the Lebanese border, reducing the risk of Israeli interception during deliveries.

Israeli intelligence had been monitoring the facility’s construction for over five years under the code name “Deep Layer.” Realizing that an airstrike would be insufficient to destroy the facility, Israel decided a ground operation was necessary. The military had considered executing the operation on at least two previous occasions, but it was not approved due to the high risks involved, one source said.