Israel has launched around 480 strikes across Syria over the past 48 hours. The offense comes days after Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was ousted unexpectedly, and it is considered a major shift for the region. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) reported that the airstrikes targeted critical military installations across Syria, targeting strategic weapons stockpiles to prevent them from falling into the hands of terrorist factions.
The IDF said in its official statement that the operation was significant, “Within the last 48 hours, the IDF struck most of the strategic weapons stockpiles in Syria, preventing them from falling into the hands of terrorist elements.”
The targeted facilities included naval vessels, anti-aircraft systems, and weapons production sites. Some of the major cities in Syria, such as Damascus, Homs, Tartus, Latakia, and Palmyra, were hit in this massive military campaign.
350 Aircraft Involved
The airstrikes included mixed manned aircraft and naval force. Of the 350 of these, manned aircraft delivered strikes against airfields, drones, missiles, tanks, and fighter jets severely crippling Syria’s military powers. The others supported ground movements, targeting arms depots, launchers, firing positions.
Alongside aerial bombardment, Israeli naval forces have demolished 15 docked vessels and missile stockpiles in two Syrian naval facilities. These strikes significantly crippled Syria’s naval and missile structure, pushing the country to further diminish military preparedness.
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu claims that removing Assad has been a “great watershed moment” for the Middle East. Speaking at a press conference, Netanyahu linked Assad’s collapse to Israel’s continued struggle to dismantle Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iranian forces: “The collapse of the Syrian regime is a direct result of the severe blows with which we have struck Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran,” Netanyahu said. “As I promised, we are changing the face of the Middle East.”
Israeli Apprehensions Over Syria’s Future
While Israeli leaders were rejoicing over the ouster of Assad, they were still concerned about the future stability of Syria. Officials are concerned that extremist Islamist groups will take control of Syria. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said that it is crucial to be ahead of the game to protect Israel. “We are targeting military facilities housing chemical weapons and long-range missiles to prevent them from falling into the hands of extremists,” Sa’ar said on Monday.
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