Israel confirms raid on Iranian missile plant in Syria in September last year

Four months later, the Israeli military officially confirmed that it had deployed special forces to central Syria in September last year to destroy a missile manufacturing facility built by Iran.

"On September 8, 2024, air force special operations forces attacked and destroyed an underground complex that makes precision missiles in Syria's Masiaf region," the Israeli military said in a statement on the 2nd local time.

The Israeli military also released details of the operation, as well as several photos and videos taken inside and outside Syria at the time of the attack.

It is highly unusual for Israeli forces to publicly announce military operations in foreign territories.

This appears to be an intention to justify the current situation in which Israeli forces enter the Golan Heights buffer zone within Syrian territory shortly after the Syrian rebels' victory in the civil war.

"I salute our heroic soldiers for their bold and successful operation deep in Syria," Netanyahu wrote on X (formerly Twitter) shortly after being discharged from the hospital four days after prostatectomy.

"This is in response to Iran's axis attempting to hurt us," he said. "We will act anywhere to protect ourselves."