Tel Aviv: Israel has intensified its attacks on shipment of advanced missiles on their way to the Hezbollah in Lebanon via Syria. The attacks are being performed according to real time intelligence about the shipments.
In the last attack a big shipment of such missiles was destroyed by missiles and other standoff weapons launched by the Israeli air force. Reliable sources have informed the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) that the six-hour explosions that rocked Masyaf in Hama countryside were due to the explosion of medium-range surface-to-surface missiles manufactured at the Scientific Research Centre under the supervision of Iranian Revolutionary Guard expert officers and Iranian-made missiles transported to the warehouse during the past months.
According to SOHR sources, the missiles were assembled over the course of more than a year and their numbers are more than 1,000.
On August 27, SOHR activists documented the death of a regime officer affected by the injury he sustained in Israeli airstrikes on warehouses of Iranian-backed militias nearby Masyaf in the western countryside of Hama. On the other hand, fire brigades and regime soldiers are attempting to distinguish fires which had broken out since yesterday, August 27 in forests of Masyaf area, after shrapnel of weapons and ammunitions in the targeted warehouses having hit the surrounding forests due to the violent explosions. Furthermore, regime aircraft take part in distinguishing blazes in rugged mountainous terrain.
SOHR sources reported that 14 civilians sustained various injuries because of the explosions in missile depots of Iranian-backed militias in Masyaf area in Hama countryside, after yesterday’s airstrikes by Israeli fighter jets, amid reports of casualties among the depots’ guards.
On the other hand, a series of loud explosions in the targeted areas lasted for nearly six hours after the Israeli airstrikes, where tense calm has prevailed in the region since the early hours of Friday. August 26 morning. The explosions and shrapnel of missiles exploded in these depots also caused material damage to civilian houses and properties in areas around the targeted sites. The fire brigades managed to extinguish the blazes which lasted for hours, while civil and military ambulances transported the injured people to hospitals.
Yesterday, reliable SOHR sources reported hearing sporadic laud explosions in weapons and ammunitions warehouses of Iranian-backed militias in the western countryside of Hama for four hours after the Israeli airstrikes on these positions. The explosion caused grand blazes and destroyed large amounts of weapons and ammunitions, amid confirmed reports on casualties. The attack by Israeli fighter jets was the most violent ever on positions of Iranian-backed militias because of the violent explosions which were ongoing for hours.
Earlier that day, reliable SOHR activists reported hearing loud explosions in the areas which came under attack by Israeli jets this evening in the western countryside of Hama, including Wadi Al-Oyoun road, west of Masyaf, the area of the scientific research centre, Al-Suwaidah area to the south-east of Masyaf and Al-Julaymah area. It is worth noting that the targeted areas host military headquarters and posts and weapons and ammunitions warehouses affiliated to Iranian-backed militias. Moreover, fires broke out in areas in Masyaf countryside because of the Israeli airstrikes and shrapnel of missiles fired by air-defences which attempted to intercept the Israeli missiles.
SOHR sources had reported that Israeli fighter jets renewed their attacks in Syrian territory this evening, targeting several positions in west Hama countryside. The Israeli airstrikes targeted positions and warehouses of Iranian-backed militias on Wadi Al-Oyoun road, west of Masyaf and the area of the scientific research centre, amid unconfirmed reports on attacks on Jeb Ramlah area. However, no casualties were reported.
It is worth noting that this is the 21st attack in Syrian territory in 2022. It is also the 3rd attack in Hama province this year.
-The writer is an Israel-based freelance journalist. The views expressed are of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of Raksha Anirveda
