This past September, reports emerged worldwide about an extraordinary IDF commando operation in Syria. During the mission, commando troops raided and destroyed an Iranian missile production facility used by Hezbollah in Masyaf, located in Syria’s Hama province.
The world marveled at the operation, which involved landing Israeli forces deep inside Syrian territory, dozens of miles from the border. The commandos not only demolished the facility but also extracted significant intelligence material from it. However, the operation was met with official silence in Israel.
IDF strike in Hama, Syria
Now, nearly four months later, the IDF has detailed the sequence of events during the raid. “This was one of the most daring and riskiest commando operations the IDF has conducted outside the country in recent years — heroic, high-risk and meticulously planned by the Israeli Air Force,” an official said. “The operation achieved its objective: neutralizing a critical strategic capability of Iran in Syria, located dozens of kilometers from Israel.”
The elite Shaldag unit of the Israeli Air Force carried out the high-risk operation targeting an advanced underground missile facility near Masyaf used by Iranian forces to produce precision missiles for Hezbollah. Supported by dozens of fighter jets, helicopters and drones, the commandos neutralized guards at the facility, known as "Deep Layer," before rigging it with explosives and detonating it remotely.
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The operation, which deployed ground forces deep in enemy territory, incurred no Israeli casualties. Troops also retrieved key documents from the site. American and Western officials later confirmed to The New York Times that Israeli special forces had rappelled from helicopters during the raid to gather intelligence.
The use of ground troops was reportedly necessary due to the mission’s complexity and the need to secure materials from the secret facility. Israel had briefed senior U.S. officials ahead of the operation, which included airstrikes on the facility.
On Sunday, U.S. Central Command chief General Michael Kurilla visited the IDF’s Northern Command, where he reviewed Israeli operational plans for Lebanon.