Israeli warplanes carried out intense airstrikes on eastern Syria early Wednesday, apparently targeting positions and arms depots of Iran-backed fighters. At least 40 fighters were killed or wounded, according to an opposition war monitor.

A senior U.S. intelligence official with knowledge of the attack told The Associated Press that the airstrikes were carried out with intelligence provided by the United States and targeted a series of warehouses in Syria that were being used as a part of the pipeline to store and stage Iranian weapons.

The official said the warehouses also served as a pipeline for components that support Iran’s nuclear program.

תמונות שמפרסם ערוץ אל-מיאדין הלבנוני מאזור התקיפה הלילה שמיוחסת לישראל בצפון מזרח סוריה. נגיד שזה די חריג שיש תמונות מהקרקע פוסט תקיפה באזור הזה @nurityohanan pic.twitter.com/x1goKtFWQc

— roi kais • روعي كايس • רועי קייס (@kaisos1987) January 13, 2021

The U.S. official, who requested anonymity to speak about sensitive national security matters, said Secretary of State Mike Pompeo discussed Tuesday’s airstrike with Mossad Chief Yossi Cohen, Israel’s spy agency, at Café Milano in Washington on Monday.

The meeting of Pompeo and Cohen, which was reported by Politico, also reportedly focused on Al-Qaida’s presence in Iran, which Pompeo addressed on Tuesday at the National Press Club in Washington D.C.

According to Intelli Times, a Hebrew language site on security, intelligence, the Middle East and terrorism, the attack in Deir el-Zour was aimed at a parking lot at the Syrian Air Intelligence Headquarters. It is estimated that the purpose of the attack was a “targeted elimination” of a person or convoy.

התקיפה בדיר א-זור כוונה כנגד חניון במטה מודיעין האוויר הסורי בדיר א-זור. הערכה היא כי מטרת התקיפה הייתה "סיכול ממוקד" של אישיות או שיירה. המודיעין האווירי הסורי מופקד על הפרויקטים המסווגים של סוריה ובהם גם אלו של "הסוכנות הסורית למחקרים מדעיים". כדג' קומפלקס דיוק הטילים במִסְיׇאף pic.twitter.com/MlRs2QSRmS

— אינטלי טיימס – إنتل تايمز – Intelli Times (@IntelliTimes) January 13, 2021

Syria’s state news agency SANA said the strikes hit areas in and near the towns of Deir el-Zour, Mayadeen and Boukamal along the border with Iraq. It gave no further details.

An opposition war monitor reported at least 18 strikes in Deir el-Zour as well as along the border with Iraq, saying several arms depots were hit. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 23 people were killed, including seven Syrians, and the rest were Iran-backed fighters. It said 28 were wounded.

“They burnt Iranian positions in Deir el-Zour,” said Omar Abu Laila, a Europe-based activist from Syria’s eastern Deir el-Zour province who runs an activist collective that reports on news in the border area.

Israel has launched hundreds of strikes against Iran-linked military targets in Syria over the years but rarely acknowledges or discusses such operations.

The strikes came amid rising tensions in the region and amid concerns that Iran might carry out attacks to avenge last year’s killing of one of its top commanders, Gen. Qassem Soleimani.

Israel views Iranian entrenchment on its northern frontier as a red line, and it has repeatedly struck Iran-linked facilities and weapons convoys destined for Hezbollah.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem & AP)