Iran Attacks Israel from Syria

While Iran and Syria’s relationship dates back to the first years after the Iranian Revolution in 1979 (read more about the Iranian-Syrian relationship here), the relationship between the two countries significantly deepened when President Bashar al-Assad inherited Syria’s presidency from his father in 2000. Assad was guided and heavily influenced by Iran and Iran’s proxy in Lebanon Hezbollah. 

During the Syrian Civil War, Assad’s regime—in danger of collapsing—became dependent on Iran’s funding and military support. During the war, Iran not only deployed 3000 Iranian Quds Force militants in Syria, but funded the deployment of 8000 Hezbollah militants and thousands of foreign Shiite militias into Syria as well. Taking advantage of the situation, the Iranian Quds Force, commanded by Major General Qassem Soleimani, expanded Iran’s encroachment into unstable Syria.

Iran’s web of terrorism does not stop at Syria. Between 2012 and 2018, Iran—whose struggling economy ignited protests throughout Iran—spent over $16 billion in propping up terrorist proxies around the world. Iran’s military entrenchment in the Middle East takes three forms: the proliferation of Iranian weaponry in other militias, the establishment of military command centers, and the insertion of its own Iranian Quds Force militants. Utilizing its resources, Iran has become the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism. 

On February 10th, 2018, an Iranian UAV, armed with explosives, infiltrated Israeli airspace after being launched from Syria in an attempt to attack Israeli territory. The aircraft was identified by IDF Aerial Defense Systems early on and an IDF Apache helicopter successfully intercepted the Iranian UAV. In response to the attack, the IDF struck the UAV launchsite and 12 Iranian and Syrian targets in Syria.  

The Iranian Quds Force fired approximately 20 rockets from Syria at Israel on May 9th, 2018. In response to the rockets, the IDF carried out strikes on dozens of military targets in Syria that belonged to the Iranian Quds Force. Among the targets, Iranian intelligence sites, the Quds Force logistics headquarters, an Iranian military compound in Syria, and observation and military posts were all targeted. 

On January 20th, 2019 the Iranian Quds Force fired an Iranian-made rocket at a civilian ski resort in northern Israel from Syria. The Iron Dome Aerial Defense System successfully intercepted the rocket before it could harm any civilians. In response, on January 21st, 2019, the IDF struck Iranian Quds Force targets in Syria. Munition storage sites, a military compound in Damascus International Airport, an Iranian intelligence site, and an Iranian military training site were all targeted. 

On August 24th, 2019, the IDF preemptively foiled an Iranian Quds Force attack of multiple killer drones preparing to attack Israel. Qassem Soleimani directly commanded the operation from Iran and sent his own operatives to Syria, to work in collaboration with Hezbollah operatives, on an attack against Israel. 

On September 9th, 2019, Shiite militants—operating under the direct command of the Iranian Quds Force—fired a number of rockets from Syria at Israel. All rockets fell short and landed in Syria. 

On November 19th, 2019, at approximately 4:55am, Iranian forces fired four rockets at Israel from Syria. In response to the rockets, at approximately 3:35am on November 20th, IDF fighter jets struck dozens of Iranian and Syrian targets in Syria. Surface-to-air missiles, headquarters, weapon warehouses and military compounds were all targeted. During the strike, Syrian air defense missiles were fired, despite warnings to refrain from such fire. Consequently, a number of Syrian aerial defense batteries were destroyed by the IDF.

Iran is waging a war with Israel and using Syria as a launchpad. Rather than using proxies—as seen with Hezbollah in Lebanon and Islamic Jihad in Gaza—Iran has fully entrenched itself and become a sovereign force in Syria. 

The IDF remains committed to defending the lives of Israeli civilians.