Jerusalem:
The Israeli Air Force (IAF) carried out a very difficult operation in Syria in the year 2024, in which 120 Israeli commandos and 21 jet fighter aircraft took part. During this high risk operation, IAF had destroyed the Iran funded underground missile factory. The codename of this mission is ‘Operation Many Ways’, which was executed on 8 September 2024. This Israeli attack broke the back of the Syrian missile operation.
Iran caused huge damage by ‘deep layer’ blast
This missile factory of Syria is known as ‘Deep Layer’. It was reportedly located near the Masyaf area of ​​western Syria. This area is considered a stronghold of Syrian air defense. Israeli officials claimed that the site was a key project in Iran’s missile production program, aimed at providing missiles to Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Assad regime in Syria. Officials claim that the Israeli army suffered no loss in this operation.
The missile factory was 100 feet below.
According to the IAF, construction of this Iranian missile factory began in late 2017 after the first Israeli airstrike on the above-ground rocket engine manufacturing site at the Center for Scientific Studies and Research (CERS) in Jamraya, southern Syria. The attack forced Iran to move its operations underground in order to protect its missile production capabilities from future air attacks. By the year 2021, construction of factories started 70 to 130 meters below the mountain, in which missiles started being made.
DECLASSIFIED: In September 2024, before the fall of the Assad Regime, our soldiers conducted an undercover operation to dismantle an Iranian-funded underground precision missile production site in Syria.
Watch exclusive footage from this historic moment. pic.twitter.com/s0bTDNwx77
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) January 2, 2025
Horseshoe shaped structure, three entry gates
The shape of this missile factory built underground was like a horseshoe, which had 3 entry gates. Raw materials were brought from one of these. The second was to bring out the missiles and the third was to reach the logistics and office. It had 16 rooms, including mixers for rocket fuel, missile body manufacturing areas and paint rooms. The IDF estimated the factory’s annual production to be between 100 and 300 missiles, capable of reaching targets up to 300 kilometers away.
Attack date selected according to weather
Strategically located just 200 km north of the Israeli border and 45 km from Syria’s west coast, the factory provided Iran with a means for Hezbollah to deter Israeli attacks on ground weapons convoys. The underground site would enable Hezbollah to receive missiles directly from the Syrian border. Therefore Israel had decided to destroy it. The date of the mission was chosen due to favorable weather conditions. Extensive intelligence efforts mapped the layout of the facility, identified Syrian air defense capabilities and analyzed potential threats on the ground.
660 pounds of explosives and factory destroyed…
The operation began with 100 Shaldag commandos and 20 Unit 669 medics aboard four CH-53 “Yasur” heavy transport helicopters. The convoy, consisting of AH-64 attack helicopters, 21 fighter planes, five drones and 14 reconnaissance aircraft, left Israel, flying over the Mediterranean Sea to avoid detection by Syrian radar. Upon reaching Syrian airspace, the helicopters flew at exceptionally low altitudes to avoid one of the densest air defense zones in the country after Damascus. To conceal the commando operation, IAF aircraft launched distraction attacks on other Syrian targets, diverting attention from the Masyaf area. A surveillance drone launched by the commandos monitored the area. After this, 660 pounds of explosives were planted. The commandos completed their mission in less than three hours, leaving aboard the same helicopters that had delivered them. The IDF reported about 30 Syrian guards and soldiers killed during the operation, while Syrian media claimed 14 dead and 43 wounded.
