Israeli air force strikes Syrian air base: state media

09-07-2018
Rudaw
Tags: Syria Israel Iran Russia airstrikes
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ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Israel’s air force attacked a military facility in Homs, northern Syria, on Sunday night. Iranian forces are suspected to be operating from the base. 

Iran has not confirmed its presence at the T4 air base or any casualties in the attack. Syrian state media meanwhile says Syrian air defenses hit an Israeli warplane and shot down a missile. 

The assault came hours before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was due to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin to demand the withdrawal of all Iranian forces from Syria.

Since the 2011 civil war in Syria began, Iran has played a key role in supporting Bashar al-Assad’s regime.  

In April, Israeli jets targeted Syrian government military bases, reportedly killing Iranian forces.

On February 7, 2017, Seyed Mohammad Ali Shahidi Mahallati, Iran’s Director of Foundation of Martyrs and Veterans Affairs (DFMVA), said the families of more than 1,000 Iranian military forces killed in Syria are under the support of the DFMVA.

Israel has repeatedly asked its US ally and Russia to force Iran to withdraw its forces from Syria. Iran says it has merely deployed military advisers to Syria at the request of the Syrian government.

On May 21, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced a list of 12 demands on Iran including withdrawing all Iranian forces from Syria.

Israel claims it is attacking Syrian military bases to prevent Iran from establishing a long-term presence that would enable it to provide military and financial support to Iran-backed groups Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza.

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