Retaliating against the Iranian attack on Israel from Syrian territory, the IDF carried out one of its biggest air operations in the last few decades, attacking dozens of military targets belonging to the Iranian Al Quds Force in Syria overnight Thursday, the IDF Spokesperson reported.
As part of the large-scale attack, the IDF attacked:
- Iranian intelligence sites operated by the Al Qods Force;
- logistics commands of the Al Qods Force;
- a military compound and logistics complex of the Al Qods Force in Kiswah;
- an Iranian military camp north of Damascus;
- weapons storage sites belonging to the Al Qods Force at Damascus International Airport;
- intelligence systems and installations associated with theAl Qods Force;
- and an observation post, military posts and weapons in the buffer zone in the Syrian Golan heights.
In addition, the Iranian launcher from which Iranian missiles were fired at Israel was destroyed overnight.
Israel’s Iron Dome system intercepted and shot down four of those 30 missiles, the rest landed in Syrian territory.
The Israeli Air Force attacked Syrian air defense batteries, which fired despite an Israeli warning. In retaliation, the IDF attacked a number of interception systems (SA5, SA2, SA22, SA17) belonging to the Syrian army.
All of Israel’s planes returned to base safely.
The IDF made it a point to say that the attack last night was done by Iranian Al Quds forces, and not by proxies.
Overnight, IDF fighter jets struck dozens of military targets belonging to the Iranian Quds forces in Syrian territory pic.twitter.com/LwBJTMkxYR
— IDF (@IDFSpokesperson)
The overnight attacks were carried out following the rocket fire launched by the Iranian Qods Force towards the IDF’s front line in the Golan Heights. There were no casualties on Israel’s side from the Iranian attack, no damage was caused, and no hits were identified in Israeli territory.
The strikes tonight were in response to the rockets that the Iranian Quds forces launched towards IDF forward posts in the Golan Heights. No injuries or damage were reported in the Iranian attack, & no hits were located in Israel
— IDF (@IDFSpokesperson)
The Iranian attack on Israel tonight was yet another clear proof of the intention behind the Iranian forces’ entrenchment in Syria and the danger they pose to Israel and regional stability, the IDF Spokesperson stated, noting that the Israeli home front maintains its civilian routine, that the schools and agricultural work will function as usual on Thursday, and public gatherings of up to 1,000 persons in an open area are permitted in the Golan Heights and Katzrin only.
“The IDF will continue to act decisively against the Iranian military efforts in Syria, views the Syrian regime as being responsible for whatever is happening in its territory, and warns it against acting against Israeli forces,” the report concluded, noting that “the IDF is highly prepared for a variety of scenarios and will continue to act as necessary for the safety of Israeli citizens.”
The IDF pointed out that not a single Iranian rocket managed to hit Israel. Last night Syrian TV falsely claimed that the Iranian missiles hit a dozen IDF bases, and listed the sites they claimed to have hit.
In a response to Hezbollah’s threats that they would hit harder and deeper into Israel if Israel responds to the first strike, first of all, Israel hit back harder and deeper against Iranian forces in Syria, and then sent out a message that if there any more attacks from Syria, the IDF will hit back even harder.
Contrary to the rumors, Russian forces did not get involved in any way in defending Syria or Iran.