Syrian Strike Lands Near Israeli Nuclear Facility
Israel bombed Syria illegally (again) then says a Syrian surface-to-air missile followed one of its jets 200km all the way to Negev nuclear facility and triggered the sirens? Incompetence or lies?
EARLY Thursday morning Israeli media reported sirens going off in the vicinity of the Dimona nuclear reactor in the Negev desert.
Unconfirmed videos circulating on social media appeared to show various angles of an explosion in the area near Dimona. Residents in Jerusalem and around Occupied Palestine reported hearing a loud explosion. This is believed to have been the sound of israel’s patriot missile system after being activated.
SEQUENCES OF EVENTS
Syria’s Arab New Agency (SANA) reported that Syrian air defences had engaged Israeli warplanes near Dumair in the Damascus countryside. According to a Syrian military source israeli war planes had attacked Syria at 1:38am resulting in 4 soldiers wounded in addition to some loss of equipment.
Israel claims that one of Syria’s surface-to-air missiles launched in response to the israeli bombing somehow managed to travel 200km, all the way from the Golan Heights to Negev, unimpeded, and trigger the sirens near the Dimona nuclear facility. No accidents or injuries were reported.
Shortly afterwards. Israel again launched a second air attack on Syria returning to bomb the missile battery that had launched the surface to air missiles.
The SA-5 missile used by Syria is known more commonly as the S-200 surface-to-air missile developed by Russia. It has a range of up to 300km. What is surprising is that it made the entire journey seemingly without being shot down by Israel, which boasts one of the most capable air and missile defense systems subsidized by the United States.
This incident comes at a particularly sensitive time, only 11 days after Israel secretly sabotaged Iran’s own nuclear enrichment facility at Natanz. Earlier today an IDF spokesperson insisted, however, that the Dimona nuclear facility, long suspected to house some of Israel’s undeclared nuclear arsenal, was not the target.
Israel regularly bombs Syria, almost on a weekly basis under the pretext of targeting Iranian militias and Hezbollah. Israel does not typically comment on raids but has previously admitted to bombing Syria hundreds of times. This is unlawful and violates international law. Damascus as well as the Syrian Golan Heights are often targeted. Israel captured the Syrian Golan Heights in 1967 which it proceeded to annex and still occupies in defiance of multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions.
How is it possible that Syria’s supposedly “antiquated” cold-war SAMs managed to evade israel’s entire air defense system and travel hundreds of kilometers deep into Occupied Palestine? Incompetence or inadequacy?
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