Israel warns Iran of strikes on military airbases in Syria

Israel has released satellite images of an Iranian military base just outside the Syrian capital of Damascus, in what appears to be a clear warning to Tehran — we know where your forces are.

The images, published by Fox News, reportedly show warehouses storing missiles capable of hitting all of Israel on bases operated by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards special operations Quds Force.

Fox reports the Revolutionary Guards’ air force presence is located in five airports in Syria including Damascus International airport.

Amid concerns the Syrian civil war will expand into a much wider conflict centring on Iran and Israel, the Israeli military said it believed the Revolutionary Guards was planning an imminent attack on Israel in retaliation for the Israel strike on an Iranian drone base in Syria early this month. The London Times reports Iran’s attack could come tomorrow, to coincide with Israel’s 70th anniversary celebrations. The newspaper notes that the release of the satellite images was intended to signal to Iran that Israel knows the location of its Quds Force bases and is ready to strike.

It has also emerged that the Israeli military targeted an Iranian air-defence system in Syria last week with tacit US support. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly conferred with Donald Trump before ordering the strike on anti-aircraft battery to prevent Iranian forces from using it against Israel warplanes in Syria.

Read the full report in The Australian (subscription required).