Syrian air defense systems responded to an alleged Israeli airstrike near the city of Masyaf in north-western Syria on Thursday night, according to the Syrian state news agency SANA. The Syrian Defense Ministry stated that an alleged Israeli airstrike targeted the Masyaf area from north of Tripoli in Lebanon, according to SANA, claiming that Syrian air defenses succeeded in intercepting most of the missiles.
An intelligence report by ImageSat International (ISI) published on Friday revealed images of the buildings which were damaged in the attack. According to the documentation, four buildings were damaged in the factory, some of which were completely destroyed.The report stated that the buildings which were damaged in the airstrikes were part of a munitions factory in Masyaf, which primarily produces missile engines, rockets and warheads.
#Syria. #Masyaf: #ISI reveals the #SSM facility #attack’s (25 December 2020) aftermath. The attack destroyed four SSM production buildings that were probably used for mixing and casting components of #missile engines and warheads. pic.twitter.com/EJAAE3shpt
— ImageSat Intl. (@ImageSatIntl) December 25, 2020
The IDF Spokesperson's Unit has not responded to the reports, but the airspace over the Golan Heights east of the Jordan River was closed to flights over 5,000 feet until December 31.During the strikes, El Al flight LY66 which took off from China was forced to divert from its path by Cypriot air traffic control in order to distance itself from the shores of Syria and Lebanon, according to Ynet. The plane landed in Israel at 1:40 AM.
Purported area in Masyaf city struck by Israeli airstrikes tonight. #Syria #Israel pic.twitter.com/VkdT6mNona
— Joe Truzman (@Jtruzmah) December 24, 2020
The area of Masyaf has been a target in several attacks in recent years, mostly attributed to the Israeli Air Force (IAF). The last time an airstrike attributed to Israel targeted the area of Masyaf was in early June, when an alleged Israeli airstrike targeted Syrian defense factories near the city. At least nine people, including four Syrian nationals, were reported dead as a result.A site belonging to the Syrian Scientific Studies and Research Center (SSRC) is located in Masyaf and has been targeted by Israeli airstrikes in the past. In 2017, two soldiers were killed in an airstrike blamed on Israel, according to the BBC. The SSRC site in Masyaf was used to produce chemical weapons, according to the BBC.
In November, SANA blamed Israel for a series of airstrikes on locations south of the capital Damascus, near the village of Rwihinah, south of Quneitra near the Israeli border, and near Jabal Mane near the town of Kiswah south of Damascus. Eight pro-Iranian fighters were reportedly killed in the strikes.
Israel has allegedly struck targets in Syria dozens of times over the past few years as part of its “war between the wars” campaign against the continued entrenchment of Iran and its terrorist proxy Hezbollah in Syria.Anna Ahronheim and Idan Zonshine contributed to this report.