Israel has launched a series of airstrikes against Syria, destroying much of the country’s military hardware and air defenses. The strikes, which have been ongoing since Assad fled to Russia earlier this month, have left Syria’s military infrastructure in shambles.
The Israeli military says it has inflicted severe damage on Syria’s strategic weapons, including fighter jets and helicopters, Scud missiles, UAVs, cruise missiles, and surface-to-sea precision-guided missiles. The IDF claims its strikes have destroyed over 90% of the identified strategic surface-to-air missiles of the ousted regime.
Syria’s new de-facto leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, has criticized Israel’s actions, saying they were “uncalculated military adventures.” However, it appears that Israel’s goal was to prevent Syria’s military hardware from falling into the hands of extremist groups.
The targeting of Syria’s military sites has revealed deep neglect by Assad’s regime. Years of corruption and a decade of civil war had hollowed out the nation’s armed forces, contributing to his regime’s collapse.
Assad’s office issued a statement in which he lamented the country’s fall into “the hands of terrorism.” The statement was deleted from social media platforms after it was posted, but it remains unclear how much control Syria’s new rulers will have over its military infrastructure.
Source: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/israel-syria-war-airstrikes-bashar-assad-first-statement-since-ouster