Satellite images show significant damage [8] from an Aug. 25 Israeli air-strike on the Assad regime's main center for conventional and chemical weapons development. Nine buildings of the Scientific Studies & Research Center (SSRC [9]) were destroyed or heavily damaged, and a military captain was reportedly killed. The attack came as Russia removed [10] the S-300 air defense system that it had positioned near the complex. The site, near Masyaf in northwest Syria, is also reportedly a base for Iranian forces and Iran-supported militias. (EA Worldview [11])
Israeli has for years carried out sporadic air-strikes [12] on Syria, generally targeting the Iranian military presence [13] in the country. Russia largely controls Syria's air-defense forces and has been suspected of giving Israel a free hand [14] to strike Iranian targets.
