Israeli Attack on Iranian Militia in Syria

Israeli aircraft targeted Iranian militias in the Syrian governorates of Aleppo and Deir Al-Zour on the evening of Monday, May 4, IranWire has learned. 

According to Umar Al-Ahmad, IranWire's correspondent in Syria, the attacks took place at 10.30pm and targeted the Scientific Research Center and the Kwiris Military Airport in Aleppo, resulting in major destruction of ammunition stores, despite the Syrian air forces' defense against such missiles. 

Umar Al-Ahmad reported that there was widespread deployment of Iranian militias in Aleppo’s Safira region. The targeted Scientific Research Center is used by the Syrian Bashar al-Assad regime to store chemical weapons, in addition to housing weapons laboratories where modifications are carried out. 

The official Syrian Arabic News Agency announced that on Monday evening, its air defenses responded to a missile attack on the Safira area in a rural area in southeastern Aleppo province.

Umar Al-Ahmad said Israeli aircraft launched more than 15 airstrikes in the Syrian desert, which extends from Al-Mayadeen to Albukamal in Deir Al-Zour, targeting an Iranian Revolutionary Guards base located near Qalat Al-Rahba Castle, Badiyat al-Jala', Al-Abbas, Subikhan, and Albukamal.

The correspondent said that a few days prior to the attack, a convoy of freight vehicles loaded with weapons and missiles traveling from Iraq arrived in Syria, confirming the distribution of weapons in the area stretching between Al-Mayadeen and Mahkan.

The previous week, Israeli Defense Minister Naftali Bennett told Israeli media that Israel planned to intensify its campaign against Iran in Syria.

Since the beginning of the war in Syria, Israel has launched hundreds of raids targeting regime forces, members of the Iranian allied forces, and fighters from Lebanese Hezbollah. Prior to this recent attack, in mid-May, an Israeli drone targeted a vehicle carrying Hezbollah forces in southern Syria on the border with Lebanon. There were no casualties.

A few days later, Israel launched an attack on central Syria near the city of Palmyra, targeting the locations and command centers of Iranian-backed factions, IranWire's correspondent said. On April 27, Israeli aircraft targeted an area around Jabal Al-Mani in the Al-Kiswa region, as well as Al-Mezzeh Military Airport, and the Aqraba area near Damascus International Airport.

At that time, the IranWire correspondent reported that the Israeli aircraft also targeted headquarters belonging to Lebanese Hezbollah in Sahnaya, a rural area near Damascus.

Israel has reiterated that it will continue to respond to what it has described as Iran's attempts to consolidate its military presence in Syria and send advanced weapons to Hezbollah.