The IDF on Wednesday confirmed that Israel conducted a Shaldag commando raid on an underground Iranian missile production facility near the city of Maysaf in Syria in early September.
The Jerusalem Post learned of the operation in late September. It confirmed the story on Monday when the IDF started taking credit behind the scenes, but by Wednesday, the military fully confirmed its involvement.
That a raid took place, but without Israeli confirmation, was first reported by Axios on September 12, with the Post receiving secret confirmation shortly after but not permission to publicize the information.
It appears that Israeli censor and secrecy rules regarding operations in Syria have become more flexible, given the huge increase in IDF operations in Syria since the fall of the Assad regime.
With the fall of the regime, information security officials likely view any threat of retaliation from Syria as being at a much lower risk level.
The raid targeted two significant sites, which were the Syrian defense industry's Scientific Studies and Research Center and the underground missile production facility run by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps.
Israel, which had followed the facility for years, had informed the United States about the operation in advance.
The IDF prepared its operational plans after it detected that Iran had transferred components for a precision missile project into the facility. In fact, IDF sources said that there was potential for Iran and its proxies to manufacture hundreds of long range missiles per year, which could have become a larger threat than Hezbollah.
Concerns about escalation in ongoing war
The decision to carry out the strike was believed to be influenced by concerns over the ongoing war.
Also, the IDF had attempted prior air strikes on the facility which had not achieved sufficient damage.
The aforementioned weapons were reportedly intended to be used as a supply for Hezbollah.
The operation occurred approximately 200 kilometers from Israeli territory.
The Shaldag forces seized documents and then set explosives, which destroyed the facility.
During the approximately two-and-a half hour operation, the IDF Shaldag commandos rappelled down from helicopters and raided the facility after their escape.