Israeli Warplanes Strike Syrian Weapons Facility, Syria Warns Israel Of 'Dangerous Repercussions After Attack,

'Israel may have struck the Syrian weapons facility before Hezbollah could take over'

The Syrian military research center allegedly struck by Israeli warplanes on Thursday morning could have been targeted because of fears Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah asked Damascus to hand over the facility to his Lebanese Shi’ite terrorist group, a former national security adviser said on Thursday.

According to Maj.-Gen (res.) Yaakov Amidror, an analyst at the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies in Ramat Gan, the strike on the Al-Tala’i Scientific Studies and Research Center may have been a consequence of Nasrallah’s visit to Damascus last week.

Nasrallah boasted of his visit to the Syrian capital in a live speech, but according to Amidror – who was speaking on a conference call organized by the Israel Project – it may be more than a case of the facility producing weapon systems for Hezbollah; Nasrallah may have asked the Assad regime to give it to his group.

The facility has been known for many years as a center for research and development for weapons systems, including chemical weapons.

Noting that Thursday’s strike came almost 10 years to the day after the Israeli strike on the Syrian nuclear reactor in Deir Ezzor, Amidror said that it should be clear to Damascus that Israel will not allow Iran or Hezbollah to build up their capabilities because of the “chaotic mess in Syria.”

While the IDF did not comment on the strike, as it does not comment on foreign reports, it would not be the first time Israeli jets have hit Assad regime and Hezbollah targets in Syria.

Jerusalem has repeatedly said while it has no interest in getting involved in Syria’s seven year- old civil war, it has redlines, including the smuggling of sophisticated weaponry to Hezbollah and an Iranian presence on its borders.

In a recent interview with Haaretz, former Israel Air Force head Maj.-Gen. (res.) Amir Eshel said that Israel carried out at least 100 strikes over the past five years against the transfer of advanced arms, including chemical weapons, from the Assad regime to Hezbollah.

According to Amidror, while the latest strike would fit that policy, destroying advanced weapon systems destined for Hezbollah, Israel actually prevented them from being produced in the first place.

“It’s another level of intervening,” Amidror said, adding that it was the first time that the Syrian target which was attacked is a full-fledged facility, not just a warehouse but one responsible for producing chemical weapons and rockets and missiles.

Michael Horowitz, director of intelligence at Prime Source, a Middle East-based geopolitical consultancy firm, told The Jerusalem Post that this Israeli strike is significant due to its location, which is close to both a Russian air defense base as well a suspected Iranian missile production facility.

While Israel has a “de-conflict” mechanism with Moscow and has implemented a system in order to avoid accidental clashes over Syria, according to Horowitz, the reports that Israel carried out the strike from Lebanese airspace “was likely meant to decrease the risk of a Russian response – whether or not Moscow would indeed approve of such a response.”

Amos Yadlin, a former head of IDF Military Intelligence and executive director of the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv, took to Twitter, saying that the strike sent an important message, namely that Israel intends to enforce its redlines, “despite the fact that the great powers are ignoring them.”

Yadlin said that it was now important to prevent things from escalating and to prepare for a Syrian-Iranian-Hezbollah response.

Syria warns Israel of 'dangerous repercussions' after attack on chemical weapons site

Syria accuses Israel of targeting a chemical weapons plant and killing two of its soldiers; Israel has yet to confirm or deny the allegations, but Israeli security officials are speaking out.

Syria accused Israel on Thursday of carrying out an aerial attack on Assad posts overnight. The alleged Israeli attack hit a scientific research center where chemical weapons are manufactured, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

In a statement, the Syrian army warned Israel of "dangerous repercussions of this aggressive action to the security and stability of the region" following the attack.

According to the reports, the attack was launched at 2:30 a.m. on targets located in central Syria, in the area of Hama, and also targeted several weapons convoys that were en route to Hezbollah strongholds in the area. 

The Syrian army charged later on Thursday morning that Israel killed two of its soldiers during the aerial attack. An IDF spokeswoman declined to comment on the reports, saying that the army does not comment on operational matters. 

Arab media claimed there are three casualties as a result of the attack, which centered on a regime post that belongs to the scientific research center on the outskirts of Hama, situated in the northwestern part of the country. In the scientific center, the regime reportedly develops munitions such as missiles and has developed chemical weapons as well. 

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that an airstrike on Masyaf in Syria hit a Scientific Studies and Research Center facility and an adjacent military camp where ground-to-ground rockets are stored.

The United States has imposed sanctions on employees of the Scientific Studies and Research Center, which it describes as the Syrian agency responsible for developing and producing non-conventional weapons including chemical weapons, something Damascus denies. 

Syrian social media activists reported that "Israeli airplanes infiltrated from the valley area in Lebanon and attacked the center." 

Lebanese media reported that around 4 p.m. IAF fighter jets were spotted circling above Lebanon. 

Speaking to Army Radio early Thursday morning, Gen. (res.) Gadi Shamni, who previously served as the military secretary of the prime minister, said that Israel "must do everything to prevent Iran from getting a better stronghold than that which it already has on Syria." 

He also said that he "assumes there's a level of cooperation with the Americans following such an attack or beforehand, but we don't have to ask for their approval." 

Amos Yadlin, a former head of Israeli military intelligence and Executive Director of Tel Aviv University's Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) took to Twitter stating that the strike was not routine and targeted a Syrian military-scientific center that develops and manufactures, among other things, precision missiles.

“The factory in the attack also produces chemical weapons and barrels of explosives that killed thousands of Syrian citizens. If the attack was conducted by Israel, it would be a commendable and moral action by Israel against the slaughter in Syria,” he wrote.

“The attack sent 3 important messages: Israel won't allow for empowerment and production of strategic arms. Israel intends to enforce its redlines despite the fact that the great powers are ignoring them. The presence of Russian air defense does not prevent airstrikes attributed to Israel.

Defense Minister: Israel will do what it takes to protect her citizens

Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman on Thursday said Israel will do everything to prevent the creation of a Shi’ite corridor from Tehran to Damascus. His comments came just hours after Syria accused the Jewish state of striking an Assad regime military center, believed by analysts to produce and house chemical weapons and advanced precision missiles. 

“We are not looking for any military adventure in Syria, but we are determined to prevent our enemies from harming, or even creating the opportunity to harm, the security of Israeli citizens,” Liberman said in an interview with Radio FM 100.

“Therefore, everything will be done to prevent the existence of a Shi’ite corridor from Tehran to Damascus.”

Syria accused Israel of striking its Al-Tala’i Research Center east of Masyaf in Hama, killing two Syrian soldiers and damaging the facility. The center is allegedly linked to the Assad regime’s development of chemical weapons. 

“Israeli warplanes fired several rockets from Lebanese airspace at 2:42 a.m. on Thursday targeting a Syrian military position near Masyaf in Hama countryside,” Syria’s official news agency quoted the Syrian Army General Command as saying.

The Syrian military warned against the “dangerous repercussions of this aggressive action to the security and stability of the region” and accused Israel of directly supporting Islamic State and other terrorist organizations.

On Thursday evening the head of Military Intelligence, Maj.-Gen. Hertzi Halevy, stated that the threats to Israel are primarily from armed organizations with funding and assistance from Iran which he called “serious but not existential threats.”

Halevi, who was speaking during an event commemorating the sixth President of the State, Chaim Herzog, who served twice as head of MID, stated that Israel will deal with the threats with determination.

"Our enemies are well aware of the combination of our accurate intelligence and capabilities.” 

Army Radio quoted Syrian opposition sources as saying the air strike destroyed weapons, including chemical-tipped missiles that were to be delivered to Hezbollah.

“The factory in the attack also produces chemical weapons and barrels of explosives that killed thousands of Syrian citizens. If the attack was conducted by Israel, it would be a commendable and moral action by Israel against the slaughter in Syria,” he wrote on Twitter.