IDF Strikes Iranian Targets in Syria
The Israeli Air Force carried out a series of airstrikes Sunday night against Iranian targets in Syria in response to an Iranian missile fired at the Golan Heights
IsraelDefense
| 21/01/2019
An Iranian logistic site located in a Syrian army base (Photo: IDF)
Israeli fighter jets attacked Iranian targets Sunday night in Syria, the IDF Spokesperson's Unit said, hours after an Iron Dome system intercepted a missile launched from Syria following a strike on an airport south of Damascus on Sunday attributed to Israel.
Targets included weapons warehouses at the Damascus International Airport and in other locations, an Iranian intelligence site and an Iranian training camp in Syria’s south.
Russia's defense control center said that four Syrian soldiers were killed and six were wounded in the attack, adding that Syrian military air defenses destroyed more than 30 cruise missiles and guided bombs during the air strikes. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 11 were killed in the strike, only two of which were Syrian.
Following the strike, IDF spokesperson Brig. Gen. Ronen Manelis said Iranian forces carried out the missile attack toward Israel on Sunday.
According to Manelis, the missile fire was aimed toward the northern Golan Heights and civilian areas, with the intention of harming civilians. He emphasized that the fire was carried out by Iranian command and not by local militias.
Manelis said that Israel had warned Syria ahead of the strike. “We warned the Syrians not to fire anti-aircraft missiles at our planes during the strike and they chose to fire anyway. The Syrian response led us to attack Syrian air defense systems in three waves of strikes by the Israeli Air Force.”
“During the strike, dozens of Syrian surface-to-air missiles were launched, despite clear warnings to avoid such fire. In response, several of the Syrian Armed Forces' aerial defense batteries were targeted,” the IDF said in a statement.
Following the strike, the commander of the Iranian Air Force, Brig. Gen. Aziz Nasirzadeh, was quoted as saying that “The young people in the air force are fully ready and 'impatient' to confront the Zionist regime and eliminate it from the Earth.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded to Nasirzadeh's comments on Monday, affirming Manelis' statement and saying Israel will not abide by Iran’s establishment in Syria and its threat to destroy Israel.
“Whoever tries to hurt us – we hurt them. Whoever threatens to destroy us will bear the full responsibility,” he said, adding that “We are acting against Iran and against the Syrian forces that abet the Iranian aggression.”
The IDF said earlier on Sunday that missiles fired toward the northern Golan Heights were intercepted by the Iron Dome missile defense system. It added in a statement on Monday that an Iranian force fired these missiles, but said it holds the Syrian regime responsible for any activity in its territory.
“The Iranian attack toward Israel’s territory is yet another clear proof of the intention behind Iran’s attempts at entrenchment in Syria and of the danger they pose to the State of Israel and to regional stability,” the military said. “The IDF will continue to operate with decisiveness and determination against Iran's entrenchment in Syria.”
The missile launch came after Syrian state media said its air defenses repelled an Israeli attack in the south of the country, bringing down seven missiles. Russia claimed that Israel was behind the attack, which targeted an airport in southeast Damascus.
[Source: Haaretz]
The Israeli Air Force carried out a series of airstrikes Sunday night against Iranian targets in Syria in response to an Iranian missile fired at the Golan Heights
An Iranian logistic site located in a Syrian army base (Photo: IDF)
Israeli fighter jets attacked Iranian targets Sunday night in Syria, the IDF Spokesperson's Unit said, hours after an Iron Dome system intercepted a missile launched from Syria following a strike on an airport south of Damascus on Sunday attributed to Israel.
Targets included weapons warehouses at the Damascus International Airport and in other locations, an Iranian intelligence site and an Iranian training camp in Syria’s south.
Russia's defense control center said that four Syrian soldiers were killed and six were wounded in the attack, adding that Syrian military air defenses destroyed more than 30 cruise missiles and guided bombs during the air strikes. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 11 were killed in the strike, only two of which were Syrian.
Following the strike, IDF spokesperson Brig. Gen. Ronen Manelis said Iranian forces carried out the missile attack toward Israel on Sunday.
According to Manelis, the missile fire was aimed toward the northern Golan Heights and civilian areas, with the intention of harming civilians. He emphasized that the fire was carried out by Iranian command and not by local militias.
Manelis said that Israel had warned Syria ahead of the strike. “We warned the Syrians not to fire anti-aircraft missiles at our planes during the strike and they chose to fire anyway. The Syrian response led us to attack Syrian air defense systems in three waves of strikes by the Israeli Air Force.”
“During the strike, dozens of Syrian surface-to-air missiles were launched, despite clear warnings to avoid such fire. In response, several of the Syrian Armed Forces' aerial defense batteries were targeted,” the IDF said in a statement.
Following the strike, the commander of the Iranian Air Force, Brig. Gen. Aziz Nasirzadeh, was quoted as saying that “The young people in the air force are fully ready and 'impatient' to confront the Zionist regime and eliminate it from the Earth.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded to Nasirzadeh's comments on Monday, affirming Manelis' statement and saying Israel will not abide by Iran’s establishment in Syria and its threat to destroy Israel.
“Whoever tries to hurt us – we hurt them. Whoever threatens to destroy us will bear the full responsibility,” he said, adding that “We are acting against Iran and against the Syrian forces that abet the Iranian aggression.”
The IDF said earlier on Sunday that missiles fired toward the northern Golan Heights were intercepted by the Iron Dome missile defense system. It added in a statement on Monday that an Iranian force fired these missiles, but said it holds the Syrian regime responsible for any activity in its territory.
“The Iranian attack toward Israel’s territory is yet another clear proof of the intention behind Iran’s attempts at entrenchment in Syria and of the danger they pose to the State of Israel and to regional stability,” the military said. “The IDF will continue to operate with decisiveness and determination against Iran's entrenchment in Syria.”
The missile launch came after Syrian state media said its air defenses repelled an Israeli attack in the south of the country, bringing down seven missiles. Russia claimed that Israel was behind the attack, which targeted an airport in southeast Damascus.
[Source: Haaretz]
