Several waves of Israeli-attributed airstrikes hit central Syria overnight Sunday, targeting the Masyaf area, a city in Syria’s Hama province.

According to Syrian media reports, at least 14 people were killed and 43 were injured in the strikes that were described in Arab media as the “most massive wave of attacks in years.” Reports on Monday afternoon said that the number of fatalities increased to 25.

The strikes targeted positions of the pro-Iranian militias and the Revolutionary Guards in Syria. Reuters quoted two “regional intelligence sources” as saying that a major military research center for chemical arms production near Masyaf was struck several times. The center is believed to host a team of Iranian military experts involved in manufacturing precision surface-to-surface missiles.

The strikes destroyed buildings and caused fires to break out in the surrounding forest area.

Israel has not commented on the strikes.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)