Israeli Army Reveals Details of Special Operation to Destroy Underground Missile Facility in Syria

On January 2, 2025, the Israeli military detailed a special operation conducted by its elite Shaldag unit on September 8, 2024, during which they reportedly stormed and destroyed an underground facility for producing precision-guided missiles in the Masyaf region of Syria.

Israeli army spokesperson Avichai Adraee announced on the social media platform X that over 100 Shaldag operatives participated in the operation, which was executed by the Israeli Air Force. The military emphasized that intelligence efforts over several years had identified the facility as a critical target, prompting the development of a comprehensive plan to neutralize it.

According to the statement, the facility was built with Iranian support and funding, deemed a "flagship project" in Iran's efforts to arm its proxies along Israel's northern border. The site reportedly contained advanced production lines for precision missiles and long-range projectiles, aimed at enhancing the transfer of missiles to Hezbollah and other Iranian affiliates in the region.

Following the successful mission, the troops returned safely to Israeli territory, as confirmed by the military.

Since the onset of the Syrian conflict in 2011, Israel has conducted numerous strikes within Syrian territory, a campaign that has intensified since the outbreak of hostilities between Hamas and Israel in Gaza on October 7, 2023. On December 8, 2024, the Israeli army announced the deployment of forces in a “buffer zone” and several “necessary defensive positions” amid fears of armed groups entering the region following the entry of factions led by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham into Damascus and the collapse of Bashar al-Assad's regime.