Israeli warplanes allegedly struck a chemical weapons production and storage facility in northwest Syria on Sunday, according to a military source quoted by the official SANA news agency.
The Hezbollah-linked Al Mayadeen television channel based in Lebanon reported that the target was a “research center.” Social media reports claimed the target was a facility of the Scientific Studies and Research Center (CERS), near Masyaf in the Hama province.
According to the reports, Israeli air force jets fired missiles from Lebanese airspace and attacked a Syrian regime missile warehouse about 50 kilometers from the town of Masyaf, southwest of Hama. Opposition sources said there is an Iranian presence at the site, which was used to develop and produce chemical weapons.
Numerous reports in social media claim a number of personnel from the Hezbollah guerrilla organization and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps were killed and wounded in the strike.
סוריה-
הרוגים ופצועים של חזבאללה ומשמרות המהפכה בתקיפות של ישראל
אמצעי תקשורת רשמיים בסוריה:
ישראל תקפה מערכות הגנה באיזור מסיאף בחאמה.
قتلى وجرحى من حزب الله والحرس الثوري في الغارات على ريف حماة.
وسائل إعلام للنظام:
غارات إسرائيليلة تستهدف معامل الدفاع في منطقة مصياف. pic.twitter.com/RrxHfamEUF— שמעון ארן شمعون آران (@simonarann)
The strike came just hours after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that Israel would continue to act against Iran’s military presence and activities in Syria. “We will not stop taking action in Syria against Iran’s attempts to establish a military presence there,” the prime minister said in a statement.
The site is located close to a Syrian SA-5 anti-aircraft defense battery, and a Russian military base, according to social media.
airstrike reported in Hama today would be placed very close to the Al-Laqbah SA-21 battalion. also has a pair of adjacent SA-5 GAMMON sites adjacent to Russian site. pic.twitter.com/vnGRJIW81r
— INTELLIPUS (@intellipus)
If the attack is confirmed, it would be one that was unusual for having been carried out during daylight hours.