Israel has stepped up its clandestine strikes in Syria, targeting weapons sites, supply routes, and commanders linked to Iran, according to regional sources. This precedes a full-scale attack on Tehran’s ally, Hezbollah, in Lebanon.
The raid on June 2 targeted a secret, fortified weapons site near Aleppo, killing 18 people, including an adviser with Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards. The airstrike in May targeted a convoy of trucks en route to Lebanon carrying missile parts, and a second strike killed Hezbollah operatives.
Israel has been conducting strikes against militant organizations in Syria and other regions that receive support from its arch-rival, Iran, for years.
In the two years before the October 7 attack, Israel has killed dozens of Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) and Hezbollah officers in Syria.
In April, the Israeli bombing of the Iranian consulate in Damascus killed the senior IRGC commander for operations in the Levant, and the fighting reached a fever pitch. Israel shot down nearly 300 Iranian missiles and fired drones. In retaliation, Israel used drones to attack Iranian territory.
An Israeli government official stated that Israel’s objectives included precision-guidance systems for missiles, heavy rockets, and advanced anti-aircraft weapons.
