Syrian Precision Weapons Expert Dies In Strike Attributed To Israel

By YNET News
Posted on 08/09/23 | News Source: YNET News

A scientist working on the production of precision missiles was killed late on Sunday, in a strike attributed to Israel, in the Syrian capital Damascus, security officials believe. They also said that, although his demise would not cause a major change to weapons production, it would have a real chilling effect and could act as a deterrence.

The officials' claim aligns with the position expressed by Western intelligence organizations that believe that Iran and Hezbollah were producing such weapons at the Syrian Scientific Studies and Research Center (CERS), which was struck in the attack.

A study published last week by the Alma Research and Education Center, which specializes in Israel's northern frontier, provided a look into the real purpose of CERS, which is where Syria developed chemical weapons in the 1980s. According to reports, the facility had come under numerous Israeli attacks in the past year as well as in the more distant past.

The complex, which operates under the guise of a civilian institute for scientific research, houses classified military facilities that serve the Syrian army, the Iranian regime, and Hezbollah, and is used for the production of precision missiles as well as others, which pose considerable danger to Israel.

Those weapons include the ground-to-ground M600 missiles, produced in cooperation with Iran, which also manufactures the matching Fateh-110 missile, as well as Scud 275 missiles, Shihab 1, Shihab 2, ODAB, Zelzal, and Fajr missiles.
The Alma Institute report claims CERS' Institute 4000 may be working on the Iranian ‘Labaik’ project, which aims to modernize outdated Iranian rockets by adding sensors and remote guidance systems, enabling full rocket control after launch. According to the latest report, the weapons are produced for use by Hezbollah, under the supervision of Iranian experts.