Isreal Launches Most Extensive Air Strike in Syria in Decades
Isreal accused Tehran for launching more than 20 rockets towards its forces in occupied Golan Heights and in response to missile attacks Isreal Launched Most Extensive Strike in Syria in Decades
During two pre-dawn hours, Israeli F-15 and F-16 fighter jets evaded “dozens of missiles” and dropped “many dozens” of bombs on over 50 Iranian targets throughout Syria as the Israel air force carried out an extensive campaign, dubbed “Operation House of Cards,” to try and destroy Iran’s military presence in the country.
The mission — the largest air campaign carried out by Israel in Syria in over 40 years — was “very successful,” a senior air force officer said Thursday, but warned that Israel believes that Iranian forces in Syria are still in possession of surface-to-surface missiles that could again be fired at Israel.
“The Israeli military has struck dozens of Iranian military targets in Syria,” Israeli military spokesman Jonathan Conricus told journalists.
The army attributed the assault on the Golan Heights directly to the Al Quds force and to the commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani.
The counter-attack, the army said, was carried out by air force fighter jets and some of the strikes hit targets deep within Syria. The Israeli military warned Syria not to respond to its attack.
Damage done is Syria by isreal Fighter jets
“We were prepared and we sum up this night as a success despite the fact that it is still not over. Iran carried out the attack in order to hurt the State of Israel and Qassem Soleimani and the Al Quds force that are behind the fire will bear the brunt of the results and have already paid a heavy price,” IDF Spokesperson Ronen Manelis asserted.
The spokesman added that Israel does not seek escalation but that it is “prepared for any scenario. We hit hard Iranian infrastructures that Iran has been setting up for over a year in Syria. All the targets were destroyed.”
A source in the Israeli security establishment said this attack was the largest carried out by Israel since it signed a disengagement agreement with Syria in May 1974.
According to the army, none of the rockets fired at Israel actually hit Israeli territory: four were intercepted by the Iron Dome missile defense system and the rest landed in Syrian territory.
The army stressed that forces were not injured in the attack and that no Israeli military posts were damaged. During Thursday’s operation, “we acted several times against ticking bombs and managed to prevent attacks that were about to be carried out,” Manelis said.
Syria MLRS responding to isreal strike
“The Syrian air defenses are confronting a new wave of Israeli aggression rockets and downing them one after the other,” state news agency SANA reported.
Syria said Tuesday that Israel carried out an attack on a military base south of Damascus, which was used by Iranian forces. According to reports, Israeli fighter jets entered Syrian airspace and struck Iranian missiles aimed at Israel.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights attributed the attack to Israel and said it killed at least 15 people, including eight Iranians. Earlier, the watchdog said at least nine fighters loyal to the Assad regime had been killed. The state-run Syrian News agency quoted medical sources as saying two civilians were killed.
Israel believes Iran is determined to take revenge for the April 9 airstrike on Syria’s T4 airbase, which killed seven Iranian military advisers and members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards. Iran blames Israel for this attack.
Sirens sounded in Golan Heights
