Mass destruction of defenses allows Israeli attacks on Iran via Syria

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Israeli Media
Today 04:57

Israeli media report that Syria can now be used as a launching pad for attacks against Iran after the country's defenses were dismantled.

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An Israeli Air Force F-15 fighter jet maneuvers over northern occupied Palestine, on February 27, 2024. (AP)

After dropping nearly 1,800 bombs over around 500 targets in Syria, the Israeli military command says that it has destroyed the vast majority of Syrian air defenses.

The Israeli Air Force now assesses that it is capable of safely conducting operations over Syrian airspace after achieving air superiority in the area.

According to Israeli media outlets, the quick dismantlement of Syrian military capabilities now allows the occupation to use Syrian airspace for long-range strikes on Iran. Syrian air defense array was described as one of the strongest in the region. However, with the fall of the former regime's government, the Israeli occupation quickly violated Syrian sovereignty and launched a large aerial campaign on the country.

Seeing that forces that assumed power in the country could not operate these systems, Israeli warplanes made quick work of the defenses, destroying nearly 87% of Syrian air defense capabilities. This includes Russian-made Pantsir and Buk air defense systems, which played a crucial role in engaging and thwarting Israeli strikes on the country in the past.

These attacks were deemed unlawful by United Nations experts, who said that the strikes violated international law. Israeli newspaper Maariv reported that the Israeli military attacked around 400 strategic defense targets in Syria over the past few days, in one of the largest operations conducted by the air force.

The military command said that two Syrian naval sites in the ports of Bayda and Latakia were attacked on Monday, where 15 Syrian naval vessels were destroyed. Additionally, the Israeli military targeted stockpiles of anti-ship missiles, that could destroy targets located 80 to 190 kilometers away.

Around 350 airstrikes targeted air defense batteries and dozens of production facilities in Damascus, Homs, Tartus, Latakia, and Palmyra. Other airstrikes targeted Syrian ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, drones, fighter jets, attack helicopters, radars, tanks, and hardened hangers.

The operation, named "Arrow of Bashan," is a reference to a biblical region encompassing the Golan Heights and parts of southwestern Syria. The scale of the attacks, particularly the occupation of vast regions in southwestern Syria, is widely interpreted as a reflection of the Israeli regime's broader expansionist ambitions. These actions are seen as a clear indication that when given the opportunity, "Israel" seeks its occupation of territories in the region.