On October 2, at about 2330 hours, an airstrike (possibly two wave attack) was carried out in eastern Syria, reportedly hitting many targets in the geographic corridor between Al-Bukamal and Deir ez-Zor. This geographic region along the Euphrates River is a critical strategic anchor for Iran’s entrenchment in Syria and the development of a land corridor from Syria to Lebanon.
This operation, according to our knowledge, targeted several objectives, including Syrian radar and air defense equipment near the Deir ez-Zor airport. The city of Deir ez-Zor’s urban sector near the airport (mostly the Rabash district) is completely controlled by Shiite militias and has a substantial military infrastructure, including headquarters and weapons depots.
At this point, it is unknown whether Iranian weapons on their way into Syria were hit via one of the crossings/bridges, or if storage sites for weapons that had already arrived in Syria were targeted. According to the official Syrian news agency, an Israeli airstrike on Syrian army outposts in the Deir ez-Zor province wounded two soldiers and caused damage. An attack in eastern Syria, if carried out by Israel, is considered very exceptional and is not frequently carried out due to the operational conditions.
Is this actually the second attack this week in Syria, preceded by another one in western Damascus?
According to local reports, an airstrike was carried out on Damascus’ western suburbs at about 3 a.m. on October 1. Several explosions were heard and witnessed in the cities of Qura al-Assad and Dimas, near Lebanon’s border. Was it an attack on a convoy of weapons bound for Hezbollah in Lebanon? Was the assault intended against a stationary storage place or was it an attack on weapons loaded onto vehicles headed into Lebanon?
So yet, the Syrian regime has made no comment on this occurrence (as we have seen in the October 2 attack, the regime generally makes an official notice after attacks). Furthermore, it appears that Syria’s air defense systems were not utilized. It is important to note that the reported area is near Highway 1, which extends west from Damascus to the Syrian-Lebanese border to the area of Jdeidat Yabous/Al-Masnaa and is part of the land corridor to Lebanon, as we know from past attacks.
It is highly likely, as seen on the released videos, a fire is seen in the area of the air defense battery located above the town of Dimas.
