Israeli Air Force planes. Photo: Israel Defense Forces.

JNS.org – Israel struck targets in Syria to prevent the transfer of advanced weaponry to Hezbollah, Arab media reported over the weekend, while Israeli officials remained silent on the matter.

The Israeli Air Force (IAF) reportedly hit Syria twice within 48 hours between last Wednesday and Friday nights. Al Arabiya reported that the first strike took place Wednesday night in the Qalamoun Mountains, north of Damascus, and that a Hezbollah weapons convoy was destroyed.

Al Jazeera reported that the IAF conducted another strike in the Qalamoun Mountains on Friday night, this time hitting weapons-storage facilities belonging to the 155th and 65th Brigades of the Syrian military. An eyewitness said that long-range missiles, including Scuds, were located in the areas that were struck.

Eyewitnesses said Syrian soldiers, Hezbollah fighters, and Iranian Revolutionary Guard members were killed in the strikes. If conducted by Israel, the strikes were likely prompted by a desire to thwart the transfer of long-range missiles from Syria to Hezbollah in Lebanon.