The Israeli military said Tuesday, December 10, that it conducted about 480 strikes over the past 48 hours on strategic military targets in Syria, days after the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad.
"Within the last 48 hours, the IDF (army) struck most of the strategic weapons stockpiles in Syria, preventing them from falling into the hands of terrorist elements," the military said in a statement, adding that the targets included 15 naval vessels, anti-aircraft batteries and weapons production sites in several cities.
There is concern that, with the sudden collapse of the Syrian government, weapons stockpiles could be seized by jihadi militants.
Warplanes hit what Israel said were Syrian air defense systems, military airfields, missile depots, and dozens of weapons production sites in the cities of Damascus, Homs, Tartus, Latakia, and Palmyra, the Israeli army statement said.
In naval operations overnight Monday, Israeli missile ships struck two Syrian navy facilities simultaneously – Al-Bayda port and Latakia port – where the army said 15 Syrian naval vessels were docked.
Israeli officials said earlier that Israel also targeted alleged chemical weapons sites. Netanyahu says Israel struck across Syria to knock out military assets.
Israel also acknowledged its troops were pushing into a border buffer zone inside Syria, which was established after the 1973 Mideast war. However, Israel denied its forces were advancing Tuesday toward the Syrian capital of Damascus.
Life in the capital was slowly returning to normal after jihadi-led Syrian insurgents ousted President Bashar Assad over the weekend. People celebrated for a third day in a main square, and shops and banks reopened.