Israel: We Targeted Almost All Iranian Positions in Syria

Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman stated that the country's defense forces have targeted 'almost all Iranian positions in Syrian territory' in response to the firing of rockets by Iran's Quds Force towards the Golan Heights. He warned Iranian officials that if it rains in Israel, they will face a flood. Lieberman claimed that Iran's attempt to 'take revenge on Israel' has failed, and Israeli forces dealt 'the most severe blows to Iranian positions in Syria' early Thursday morning. These statements from Israeli officials are a reaction to events that occurred late Wednesday night and early Thursday morning; according to the Israeli army, the Quds Force fired 20 rockets towards the Israeli front line at midnight. Meanwhile, no official from the Islamic Republic has confirmed or denied Iran's attack on Israeli territory. On the other hand, the Israeli Defense Minister and army spokesman stated in separate announcements that 'no rockets from Syria' hit Israel. Reports indicate that sixteen rockets landed in Syrian territory, and Israeli anti-rocket systems intercepted and diverted four other rockets, resulting in no casualties, damage, or losses to Israel. According to the Israeli army spokesman, the rockets fired by Iran were of the Grad and Fajr 5 types, launched from systems mounted on military vehicles located 30 to 40 kilometers from the outskirts of Damascus towards Israel. However, the Israeli army emphasized that Iran's 'clear act of war' against Israel is viewed with 'seriousness,' and in response, the Israeli army attacked dozens of Iranian troop deployment centers and other Iranian fortifications in Syria. Following these attacks, Israel conducted its 'largest air operation' in recent years, which lasted several hours. Simultaneously, Israeli ground artillery fired at targets in Syria. According to the Israeli army report, among the targeted locations were intelligence sites of the Quds Force, logistical command centers of the Quds Force in various parts of Syria, the Quds Center in the al-Kiswah area, weapons storage centers of the Quds Force at Damascus International Airport, intelligence equipment of the Quds Force, observation centers, and Iranian fortifications and equipment near the Syrian-Israeli border, as well as the Iranian systems from which the rockets were fired. Colonel Ronen Manlis, the Israeli army spokesman, stated that Israel's response to Iran's direct military action was merely 'the tip of the iceberg of Israel's capabilities.' Social media images show explosions and fires in several locations targeted by Israel, but no reports of casualties or injuries to Iranian forces or their allies in Syria have been published yet. Iran has not responded to the recent attacks on its forces in Syria. However, Mohammad Hossein Baqeri, Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, hinted on Monday, May 6, that his country would respond to attacks that occurred before that day. SANA, the official Syrian news agency, reported that the country's air defense confronted 'Israeli aggressive missiles and shot down dozens of them, preventing most from hitting their targets.' Meanwhile, SANA confirmed that 'some Israeli missiles hit several air defense battalions, radar systems, and a weapons depot.' Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, in an interview with a Greek newspaper published on Thursday, did not rule out that 'things might get out of control.' However, Assad's interview took place before the recent Israel-Iran clashes in Syria. Yuval Steinitz, Israel's energy minister, stated earlier this week that if Assad allows Iran or its allies to encroach on Israel from Syria, Assad and his regime will be destroyed. However, Israel Katz, Israel's information minister, said that the energy minister's remarks were his own and that there was no plan for 'the destruction' of Assad discussed in the Israeli cabinet. Israel previously stated that Iran's action on February 10 last year, sending a drone with a 'combat mission,' was considered 'Iran's entry into direct confrontation with Israel'; on that day, Israel conducted heavy attacks on 'Iranian and Syrian' targets in Syria. The attacks on April 9, May 1, and May 8 against Iranian deployment centers in Syria were also attributed to Israel by Russia and the United States; according to reports from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, at least 33 Iranians were killed in these attacks. The emergence of Israel-Iran clashes in Syrian territory comes as Russia has a significant military presence in Syria and has been working to defend Bashar al-Assad's regime. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who visited Moscow at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, told accompanying Israeli reporters after the meeting that 'there is no reason to think that Russia will harm Israel's interests or limit Israel's freedom of action (in Syria).' The Netanyahu-Putin meeting was their eighth in the past two and a half years regarding issues related to Iran. The military confrontation between Iran and Israel in Syria has intensified shortly after the U.S. withdrawal from the nuclear agreement with Iran and world powers; Israel expressed 'gratitude' for the U.S. 'brave' decision to exit the JCPOA. U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis stated two weeks ago that he could guess how the Israel-Iran conflict in Syria would start but could not predict how long and where it would escalate.