While focusing on the Iranian nuclear program and talks in Vienna, Israel is also keeping a watchful eye on developments in Syria. On Dec. 14, the Washington Post revealed that Israel had allegedly carried out last June an unusual aerial attack, deep inside Syrian territory. According to the report, Israeli jets fired missiles at three Syrian military targets near the central cities of Damascus and Homs. Seven soldiers, including a colonel, were reportedly killed in the strike, although the attack apparently targeted very specific military installations. The article also referred to an aerial attack carried out March 2020, without providing any more details.
Intelligence analysts in Western capitals noted that pervious aerial attacks attributed to Israel targeted Iranian proxy Shiite militias, arms depots or arms shipments. By contrast, the March 2020 and the June 2021 strikes apparently targeted Syrian military facilities linked to the country’s former chemical weapons program.
