A source operating in the Syrian Air Defence Force told Zaman al-Wasl that the defence systems were paralysed and almost caused a disaster during the Israeli strikes last November due to Iran’s radar jamming stations.
The source confirmed that some Syrian defense missiles exploded minutes after launch at a distance of no more than two to five kilometers, causing many casualties.
The information provided by the source contradicts what the state-run news agency (SANA) reported in the aftermath of the Israeli strike, claiming that the regime’s air defence had intercepted 11 of the 18 missiles fired by six Israeli jets before they struck their targets.
After the Israeli attack on Nov. 20, 2019, Syria’s air defense officers attributed the failure to a wide jamming package that targeted the radars and control systems, but investigations revealed that three Iranian radar jammers were behind the jamming.
A committee said in a report provided to the Defense Minister, the radar stations are located in Mount al-Manea near the town of al-Kiswa, Tel al-Saroukhiya (Missiles Hill) and Tel al-Sultan near the town of Sayyida Zeinab. The three sites are controlled by Iran.
Israel said on Nov. 20, 2019, that its aircraft struck dozens of Iranian and Syrian military targets in retaliation for rockets fired towards Israel a day earlier. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said weapons and ammunition storage facilities belonging to the al-Quds force were destroyed in the attack and 11 people were killed, including seven members of the elite al-Quds Force, the overseas arm of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.
November’s strikes by Israel destroyed Russian missile systems owned by the Syrian regime, military source told Zaman al-Wasl.
The source, who requested anonymity, said Israel tried to “not embarrass Russia” or to evoke tension over targeting its advanced missile systems.
New satellite images obtained by Zaman al-Wasl showed that the Buk-M2 and Pantsir-S1 missile systems south of the Syrian capital had been destroyed by Israel.
The Buk-M2 is a medium-range surface-to-air missile system, designed to counter cruise missiles. Pantsir-S1 is a combined short to medium range surface-to-air missile and anti-aircraft artillery weapon system.
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.
