An Israeli Air Force F-15 fighter jet flies during an aerial demonstration. (photo credit: AMIR COHEN – REUTERS)
On April 9, a series of Israeli airstrikes targeted the outskirts of the town of Masyaf in the western countryside of Syria’s Hama.
In a statement to the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency, a Syrian military source said that Israeli warplanes launched the airstrikes from Lebanon’s airspace.
“Around 6:45 pm, the Israeli enemy carried out an aerial aggression from the direction of northern Lebanon, targeting some positions in the central region,” the source said, “Our air defense means engaged the hostile missiles and shot down some of them.”
According to the unnamed source, work is underway to assess the losses caused by the Israeli airstrikes. So far, no casualties have been reported.
#Syria : video showing the different areas bombed tonight by #Israel all around Masyaf #Hama. Biggest hit is the weapons production facility. @QalaatM pic.twitter.com/cp0DOpHoDj
— Ibrahim Hamidi ابراهيم حميدي (@ibrahimhamidi) April 9, 2022
Unusually fierce Israeli bombardment tonight. At least 5 aistrikes hit 3 different places in area of Masyaf, #Syria‘s cenral region pic.twitter.com/E4XINGkBmi
— Ibrahim Hamidi ابراهيم حميدي (@ibrahimhamidi) April 9, 2022
The airstrikes hit several targets in the outskirts of Masyaf, including a key facility of the Syrian Scientific Studies and Research Center (SSRC). The SSRC is Syria’s main military research and development institution. Masyaf’s research facility was targeted by Israel on a number of occasions in the past.
It’s worth noting that Syria’s only S-300PMU2 long-range air-defense system is deployed just a few kilometers away from Masyaf.
This was the first Israeli attack on Syria in more than a month. The previous attack, which targeted several positions near Damascus city on March 7, claimed the lives of two soldiers of the Syrian Arab Army and two officers of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
The recent attacks on Syria were all a part of Israel’s “War-Between-Wars” military campaign, which is meant to hinder Iranian entrenchment in the war-torn country. So far, the campaign has failed to achieve its objective. Iran’s military presence in Syria never been stronger.
