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Assad’s “Dumb” Missiles: Why Israel Targeted Damascus Airport and the Kiswah Area?

Hezbollah is trying to smuggle GPS devices that allow factories in Syria to turn "dumb" missiles into "precision" ones, according to Syria TV.
Assad’s “Dumb” Missiles: Why Israel Targeted Damascus Airport and the Kiswah Area?

The Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper revealed that the sites targeted by the Israeli attack on Saturday night were a camp for Iranian-affiliated militias in the Kiswah area south of Damascus and the Damascus International Airport. 

The newspaper’s security and military commentator, Ron Ben-Yishai, wrote that the target of the Israeli attack on Friday-Saturday night was quite different. It didn’t only target the Damascus International Airport but also the Kiswah area.   

Ben-Yishai, known for his close ties to the General Staff, explained that the targeted site in Kiswah is regime camps where pro-Iranian militias are trained. Members of these militias recruited from Iran and Afghanistan are housed there. 

Saturday dawn at 00:45, Israel targeted Damascus airport and sites south of the capital with airstrikes that killed five soldiers, according to the regime news agency SANA. 

Five Dead

The Israeli analyst also revealed that the five dead from the attack were regime soldiers working at an air defense base, including an officer. 

According to Ben-Yishai, the double attack was aimed at achieving three objectives: 

  • Preventing and disrupting the missile and precision missile project, and a warning message to Assad to stop harbouring Iranian militias and secure civilian cover for them by opening air navigation to the Revolutionary Guards. 
  • Prevent the reproduction of a Hezbollah 2 experience. 
  • “Weakening” the Syrian regime’s air defence system. 

Ben Yishai inferred that the attack shot down soldiers running an anti-aircraft battery. 

According to official Israeli estimates, Hezbollah is trying to smuggle GPS devices that allow factories in Syria to turn “dumb” missiles and rockets into precision missiles. 

Ben-Yishai says Hezbollah smuggles these devices and equipment from Iran through civil aviation, because of their small size and ease of hiding them in suitcases. 

 

This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.

  

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