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January 2013 Israeli airstrike in Syria
Part of Israel–Iran proxy conflict and Syrian civil war
Israel (green) and Syria (orange)
Operational scope	Strategic
Objective	Destroy a weapons convoy carrying SA-17 anti-aircraft missiles to Hezbollah
Date	January 31, 2013 (2013-01-31)
Executed by	Alleged Israeli Air Force involvement
Outcome	Destruction of anti-aircraft missiles and collateral damage to nearby research center on biological and chemical weapons

On January 31, 2013, an airstrike was conducted on a convoy in Syria that was believed to be carrying advanced anti-aircraft weaponry to the Lebanese Shi'a militia Hezbollah. It was alleged that Israeli forces conducted the strike, and Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak hinted this was so, without explicitly confirming it.

The convoy was attacked while parked at a facility of the Syrian Scientific Studies and Research Center, Syria's main research center on biological and chemical weapons, at Jamraya, several miles northwest of the Syrian capital of Damascus. In addition to Russian-made SA-17 anti-aircraft missiles, secondary explosions from the attacked munitions also damaged a building of the Scientific Studies and Research Center. Satellite images taken a few days after the attack showed a scorched and blackened parking lot at the center, where the arms convoy was apparently hit.

Israel did not officially confirm the bombing, but Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak suggested that it was behind the attack, saying on 3 February, "I cannot add anything to what you've read in the newspapers about what happened in Syria several days ago, but I keep telling, frankly, that we've said – and that's another proof that when we say something we mean it – we say that we don't think that it should be allowable to bring advanced weapon systems into Lebanon."

Background

The attack on January 2013 was reportedly part of Israel's efforts to stem the flow of sophisticated weapons from Iran and Syria to the Shi'a Islamic militant group and political party Hezbollah, which is a designated terrorist organization by various countries, including the United States, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada. Prior to the attack, Israel's newly re-elected Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was reported to have notified the United States and Russia of the impending attack.

Reportedly, the attack came three weeks after the interception of a vessel carrying anti-aircraft missiles and munitions for Hezbollah by the Israeli Navy. The vessel was reportedly stopped in the Red Sea, and its crew of four was arrested.

Despite the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701 from 2006 which called for an embargo on arms shipments to Lebanon, Hezbollah has reportedly continued to arm itself with assistance from Iran and Syria. Those weapons include, according to reports, Scud D surface-to-surface missiles originating in North Korea, with a range of 700 kilometres (430 mi).

This was the first reported Israeli attack in Syria since Operation Orchard in 2007, when Israeli jets allegedly destroyed an unfinished Syrian nuclear facility.

The raid

The attack consisted of about ten Israeli jets flying from the Mediterranean over southern Lebanon. The jets were tracked by both NATO and Lebanese radars. An early report said some Israeli planes crossed into Syria, fired eight missiles at their target, and then flew back over the Mediterranean. It was later reported that the Israeli warplanes did not enter Syrian airspace, but launched the attack from Lebanese airspace.

According to a Free Syrian Army spokesman, a senior commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guard, Hussam Hush Nawis (also known as Hassan Shateri), was killed in the airstrike along with several aides, but their deaths were not reported due to "the consequences" of such a disclosure.

Syria has maintained that Israel had bombed a "scientific research center" at Jamraya, several miles northwest of Damascus, and has threatened to retaliate against Israel. According to a security analyst, Amir Rapaport, footage broadcast on Syrian television showed a damaged armored vehicle that seemed to belong to the SA-8 missile system. He speculated that the vehicle may have been placed on the scene after the attack, because Syria had guaranteed the Russians not to transfer the more advanced SA-17 system to Lebanon.

Reactions

Boaz Ganor, director of the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism, warned that if Syria’s weapons falls into the hands of jihadist groups like al-Qaeda, that would be a global threat.

•  Russia: "If this information is confirmed, then we are dealing with the unprovoked attacks on targets on the territory of a sovereign country, which blatantly violates the UN Charter and is unacceptable, no matter what the motives were to justify it."

•  Iran: Minister of foreign affairs Ali Akbar Salehi condemned the alleged air strike as an "overt assault based on the West's policy" to undermine stability in Syria. "The Zionists got ahead of themselves in trying to cover up the successes of the Syrian government and nation in maintaining the existing government and restoring stability and security". Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian said the raid would have "grave consequences for Tel Aviv".

Other airstrikes

Additional air strikes reportedly took place on May 3 and 5, 2013. Israeli sources claim the attacks targeted accurate short-range Fateh-110 surface-to-surface missiles destined for Hezbollah from Iran. Israeli politician Tzachi Hanegbi made it clear that any action was against Hezbollah, not against the Assad regime, without explicitly admitting Israel made the strikes. The Israeli news organization Haaretz reported that rebel forces claimed that other targets were destroyed during the strike on the airbase, including fuel and ammunition depots and a cargo plane that have arrived from Iran. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition monitoring group based in Britain, said at least 42 Syrian soldiers were killed in the strikes and 100 others were missing. Other opposition sources put the death toll at 300 soldiers, mostly belonging to the elite Republican Guards, a praetorian unit that forms the last line of defense of Damascus and is comprised mainly of members of Assad's Alawite sect.

See also

• Quneitra Governorate clashes (2012–present)
• 2009 Sudan airstrikes
• Yarmouk munitions factory explosion
• Syria and weapons of mass destruction

References

1. ^ Ernesto Londoño and Joby Warrick, Israeli airstrike in Syria targeted a shipment of weapons, 2 U.S. officials say. Washington Post. February 4, 2013.
2. ^ "Israeli defense minister suggests role in Syria airstrike". CNN. February 4, 2013. Retrieved May 11, 2013.
3. Assad fumes as Israel admits Syria air strike. The Express Tribune. February 4, 2013.
4. ^ Israeli raid in Syria reportedly damaged research site. The Times Of Israel. February 4, 2013.
5. ^ Sanger, David E.; Schmitt, Eric; Rudoren, Jodi (February 3, 2013). "Israeli strike into Syria said to damage research site". The New York Times. Retrieved May 5, 2013.
6. Image indicates Syria building unscathed by Israel strike. Reuters. February 6, 2013
7. ^ Israel's attack on Syria part of clandestine war against Hezbollah. The Vancouver Sun. February 1, 2013.
8. Israeli navy intercepts ship carrying advanced weaponry
9. "What we know about the Israeli air strike in Syria". Washington Post. January 30, 2013.
10. Syrian rebel raids expose secrets of once-feared military, The Guardian, 2013-02-04. Retrieved 2013-02-07.
11. Barnett, David (April 28, 2013). "Israeli Air Force struck SSRC facility without entering Syrian airspace". Long War Journal. Retrieved May 11, 2013.
12. Rebels: Iranian official killed in airstrike on Syria. Ynetnews. Feb 14, 2013
13. ^ Anne Barnard and Jodi Rudoren. Syria Says It Has Right to Counterattack Israel. The New York Times. January 31, 2013
14. ^ "Russia concern at Israeli 'air strike' on Syria". BBC News. 31 Jan 2013. Retrieved 4 May 2013.
15. "'IAF strike in Syria targeted arms from Iran'". Jerusalem Post. May 4, 2013.
16. Cohen, Gili (May 5, 2013). "'Israel overnight strike targeted Iranian missile shipment meant for Hezbollah'". Ha'aretz. Retrieved May 5, 2013.
17. Williams, Dan (6 May 2013). "Israel to Assad: air strikes did not aim to help Syria rebels". Reuters. Retrieved 6 May 2013.
18. Scott, David Clark (4 May 2013). "Why Israel bombed Syria, again". Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 6 May 2013.
19. Bar'el, Zvi (4 May 2013). "Syrian opposition claims IAF strike targeted Damascus airport". Haaretz. Retrieved 6 May 2013.
20. "'No winds of war' despite Damascus air strikes". Jerusalem Post. May 7, 2013.

• Conflicts in 2013
• Airstrikes
• 2013 in Israel
• 2013 in Syria
• Battles involving Syria
• Battles involving Israel
• Israel–Syria relations
• Cross-border operations
• Aerial operations and battles involving Israel
• Research institutes in Syria