Operation "Many Ways", the operation to destroy the missile production site in Masyaf, Syria testifies to Israel's capabilities to locate, reach and destroy targets kept underground. However, it is doubtful whether we can learn from it about its ability to safely return hostages from Hamas tunnels.
On the night of September 8, 2024, a missile production site was destroyed in Syria. The bold and successful operation achieved several important goals.
Shaldag operating in Syria
(Video: IDF)
First, it significantly damaged the ability to restore Hezbollah's precision missile array in Lebanon, which, according to estimates, numbered a few thousand before the war and more recently, between dozens and hundreds.
This operation is also a clear signal of Israel's intolerance for crossing a critical threshold in its enemies' build-up efforts, showing its capabilities to locate, reach, and destroy fortified targets, and its willingness to take risks in operating in a particularly secure area.
The CERS Institute (the Syrian Scientific Studies and Research Center in French) was established in the 1970s to promote scientific research in Syria but has since served as a central factor in developing its military capabilities, including the development and production of missiles, chemical agents, and other weapons systems. The center maintains close cooperation with Russia, Iran, and Hezbollah.
The site in Masyaf was the only one of its kind in Syria. It was designed to produce between 100 and 300 precision missiles per year with ranges between 70-300 km. As part of the Iranian method of concealing and protecting sites, it was secretly carved from the mountainside into the depths of the earth and its walls were cast from reinforced concrete. In addition, advanced Russian air defense (GNA) systems were deployed around it.
Destroying Syria's missile production facilities will prove as a serious blow to Hezbollah's rocket array. Iran and Hezbollah will have difficulty acquiring accurate missiles to increase its stockpile while simultaneously busy with efforts to restore the launch sites and weapons systems Israel has targeted in recent strikes.
And what about Gaza?
The boldness and success of the operation, from which all our fighters returned unharmed, raises the question of why similar operations are not being carried out to free the hostages from the underground tunnels in Gaza.
The common factor in all underground sites, including the Iranian nuclear sites, the site in Syria, the Hezbollah and Hamas tunnels, is the need for accurate intelligence, the ability to reach them covertly, operational capability, and relevant weapons to destroy the target.
The difference is the definition of the required achievement. Destroying a facility, means of production, or weapons in an underground target with perimeter security is not similar to the safe rescue of live hostages in tunnels with close terrorist guards.
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On the other hand, the chance that the forces will be discovered by the terrorists or that the hostages will be harmed during the takeover is high. As the world has seen from the previous attempt to rescue hostages, the risk of the hostages being murdered by their close guards during an attack is high, as happened to the six hostages (Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Eden Yerushalmi, Uri Danino, Alex Lobanov, Almog Sarousi, and Carmel Gat, may their memory be blessed).
Gail ShoreshPhoto: Adi OrniThe return of the living hostages to their families in peace is an extremely vital achievement. A military operation in the Gaza tunnels, however complex and daring, endangers their lives and its chances of success are small. The path to the return of all the hostages lies in a bold political operation with a willingness to take risks, as in the successful military operation in Syria.
Adv. Gail Shoresh is a former senior official at the Mossad, a representative in the Ramat Hasharon City Council and is in the executive committee of "Forum Dvorah"