Israel destroyed reported Iranian underground missile factory in Syria ground raid

Barak Ravid

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An elite Israel Defense Forces unit conducted a highly unusual raid in Syria earlier this week and destroyed an underground precision missile factory that Israel and the U.S. claim was built by Iran, according to three sources briefed on the operation.

Why it matters: Israeli airstrikes on Syria have increased since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel as cross-border conflicts between Hezbollah and Israel intensified. But the raid on Sunday was the first ground operation the IDF has conducted in recent years against Iranian targets in Syria.

• The destruction of the factory appears to be a significant blow to an effort by Iran and Hezbollah to produce precision medium-range missiles on Syrian soil.
• The Israeli government has stayed unusually silent about it and didn't claim responsibility in order not to provoke a retaliation by Syria, Iran or Hezbollah, sources said.
• Spokespersons for the IDF, Israel's Ministry of Defense and the Prime Minister's Office declined to comment.