The Assad regime’s Scientific Studies and Research Center, Masyaf, Hama Province, Syria


UPDATED, DEC 26:

Four weapons manufacturing facilities were destroyed on Friday at a key Assad regime complex attacked by Israel’s warplanes, according to satellite images released by the Israeli intelligence firm ImageSat.

The company assessed that the missile strikes levelled four production buildings “that were probably used for mixing and casting components of missile engines and warheads”. One of the destroyed buildings had been rebuilt after a previous attack.

Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova declared on Friday that the Israeli attacks undermine stability in the region.

However, under tacit arrangements with Israel established from 2015, Moscow has stood aside during Israel’s strikes.


ORIGINAL ENTRY, DEC 25: Israel has again struck the Assad regime’s central complex for conventional and chemical weapons, located in Hama Province in central Syria.

The regime’s Defense Ministry issued a statement about the missile strikes on the Scientific Studies Research Center early Friday. Following their standard practice, Israeli jets fired the missiles from Lebanese airspace.

No casualties were confirmed. As with all Israeli strikes, the Defense Ministry said regime air defenses “confronted the enemy missiles and intercepted most of them”.

The Israel Defense Forces followed its practice of making no comment.

Israel last attacked Masyaf in June, damaging the facility and reportedly killing nine people. The SSRC was also hit in 2018 and August 2019.

Friday’s strikes were the first since mid-November, when Israel hit eight regime and Iranian targets — half near Damascus and half near the Golan — were hit, including bases and headquarters, storage facilities, military compounds, and anti-aircraft missile batteries. Several Iranian personnel were killed in a headquarters close to Damascus International Airport.

Israel Strikes Assad Regime’s Military, Barracks of Iran Officers

Throughout Syria’s 114-month conflict, Israel has regularly struck regime and Iranian positions. It is seeking to prevent transfer of weapons and missiles to Lebanon’s Hezbollah, another essential backer of the regime, and to pressure Iran to withdraw its forces and Iranian-led foreign militias.

Since April, the strikes have escalated. Targets across the country have included Damascus International Airport, the T4 base in central Syria, positions with Iranian personnel and Iranian-led militia near the Iraq border, and Assad regime posts in southwest Syria near the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.