Israeli Air Force fighter jets. Photo: Kevin Gruenwald / USAF via Wikimedia Commons.

JNS.org – An Israeli airstrike on Thursday destroyed a chemical weapons facility belonging to Syria’s regime, a Syrian government agency claimed.

Syria’s Scientific Studies and Research Center said the alleged Israeli strike occurred near the city of Hama. The Syrian army proceeded to warn Israel of “serious consequences” for its “aggressive activities,” which it argued destabilize the region and “raise the Islamic State’s morale.”

The strike purportedly was initiated from Lebanese air space and killed two Syrian regime soldiers. The IDF has not confirmed nor denied its role in the strike.

Former IDF intelligence chief Amos Yadlin tweeted that the strike was “not routine,” and that the destroyed facility was involved with the production of barrel bombs dropped on Syrian civilians.

“Israel intends to enforce its red lines, despite the fact that the great powers are ignoring them,” and “the presence of Russian air defense does not prevent airstrikes attributed to Israel,” Yadlin wrote.

The alleged Israeli airstrike comes after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met in late August with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, to discuss how Iran’s “accelerated” presence in Syria threatens the Jewish state and the Middle East.

Since becoming actively involved in the Syrian Civil War in 2015, Russia has worked closely with Iran in support of the regime of Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad. Russia has also reportedly worked behind the scenes to protect Hezbollah at the United Nations.