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Inside the IDF’s strike on Iran’s Syrian missile factory: Shaldag’s high-stakes operation
While the IDF Shaldag special operation on September 8 against a uniquely threatening underground Iranian missile production facility near the city of Maysaf in Syria has been discussed many times recently, only on Thursday did the IDF reveal the play-by-play of the battle on the ground between Israeli and Syrian forces.
Shaldag is the special operations arm of the Air Force, so they are often the first option for operations in other countries, especially those using helicopters in complex landing areas.
At the outset, it should be noted that there were five Syrian underground tunnels to the facility, guarded by 11 different Syrian posts clumped together in three main positions, manned by around 30 Syrian troops.
Israeli aircraft, drones, and helicopters attacked the Syrian positions before four helicopters dropped off dozens of Shaldag special forces to move toward the facility on foot.While Shaldag forces came from two different directions, the key component was dropped off around 700 meters from the main facility entrance, where the IDF had decided to penetrate the facility.
The initial attack by Israeli air power and initial IDF forces killed around 26 of the 30 Syrians, with four surviving.
Next, Shaldag forces moved in and killed the remaining four Syrian guards.
At least two of those killed were guarding the entrance to the base, and some Syrians were in jeeps or a motorcycle who tried to approach and assist.
The mix of a first strike to surprise the guards and quickly eliminate any remainder of the guards was critical to Israel’s exit strategy from Syria before large reinforcements would arrive, which could overwhelm even the relatively large Israeli forces on the ground.
It almost went badly
During the first approximately two-and-a-half hours of the operation, dozens of additional Syrian forces came to try to oust the IDF from the site. However, it took them time to arrive, and once they did, a mix of IDF airpower and portions of Shaldag forces holding a perimeter successfully prevented them from interfering with the operation.
However, IDF sources estimated that if the operation had gone on another hour or so, hundreds of Syrian forces, including those with greater firepower, were on the way and would have arrived and potentially been able to severely harm the Shaldag forces in play.
After the initial fighting, the Shaldag forces used unspecified classified means to break open the main doors of the facility, which were locked in a very complex way.
This process took some significant time, and carrying it out as fast as possible was another critical part of the mission planning to avoid the Shaldag forces being overtaken by large Syrian reinforcements.
Once the door was breached, another element of Shaldag forces with a mini-tractor, a variety of explosives, and specialized trained explosive experts entered the facility along with dozens of IDF forces.
There were three pathways to the key inner facilities, and the IDF took pathway three.
Inside and after traversing numerous corridors, there were three critical rooms with powerful weapons being built and four rooms for building rocket engines, along with many other logistics rooms and office space.
These rooms contained, among other things, facilities for building missiles and rockets such as the M-600, with a range of 250-300 kilometers; the M302, with a range of 130 kilometers; the M220, with a range of 70 kilometers; the M122, with a range 40 kilometers, a special cement mixer, and other items.
The Jerusalem Post witnessed video footage of the soldiers inserting a variety of special explosives in many of the weapon systems and building components within the facility.
Operatives involved in the operation told the Post that it was “incredible” and the most significant operation they had ever participated in, despite having participated in covert missions in many other places outside of Israel. They also thanked IDF intelligence for providing them with an accurate picture of what to expect inside the facility.
Along with the firepower of the explosives in the facility itself, the collective power of the explosion of the facility likely reached around a ton of explosives.
The outcome was to prevent Iran, Hezbollah, and Iranian militias in Syria from manufacturing between 100 and 300 long-range, high-quality missiles per year near the border with Israel without the need to continue to smuggle them to the area from the faraway Islamic Republic.
IDF sources said that the Shaldag has carried out around 800 operations during the war. These operations started in Gaza, including uncovering and destroying a major weapons manufacturing facility in central Gaza. However, their operations expanded around December 2023 to include Lebanon, such as an operation at Maroun a-Ras.
13 Shaldag fighters, including some high-level commanders, have been killed during the war.
About 50% of Shaldag is now reservists, and the special forces unit has grown significantly during the war.
world news
Despite war and threats, Israeli and Palestinian peace activists stay committed to dialogue
A new survey conducted among Israeli and Palestinian peace activists reveals a remarkable level of resilience and determination to continue working toward reconciliation, even in the wake of the October 7 attacks and the ongoing war in Gaza. The survey sampled a narrow size of participants from two organizations.
The survey focused on how the ongoing war in Gaza and the events of October 7 have affected collaboration between Israeli and Palestinian peace activists within these two organizations.
The survey, carried out among 221 activists from peace NGOs Combatants for Peace and the Parents Circle – Families Forum, found that 87% of respondents did not consider abandoning their peace efforts following the escalation of violence. The findings were released ahead of the Joint Israeli-Palestinian Remembrance Day Ceremony, which will take place on April 29, marking the event’s 20th anniversary.
The survey, which was conducted in Hebrew and Arabic with 10 identical questions, was distributed via email, with responses collected between February and March 2025, a representative from CFP told the Jerusalem Post.Despite growing challenges, including personal insecurity, military restrictions, and social pressure, the majority of activists have continued their engagement. More than 21% reported maintaining the same frequency of meetings with their Palestinian or Israeli counterparts, while 22% noted an increase in such interactions.
The survey also shed light on obstacles activists face today. Around 23% said that friends or family members tried to convince them to cease their peace work, and 22% cited military restrictions as a major hindrance. Personal security concerns were noted by 21% of participants.
Remaining optimistic
Nevertheless, optimism persists among many activists. A quarter of respondents (24.5%) said their trust in joint activism remained steady or had even grown stronger. Additionally, 22% reported heightened motivation to continue their work, and 19% said their ability to collaborate with partners from the other side had strengthened.
This year’s Joint Remembrance Day Ceremony, held under the theme “Choices, Humanity, and Hope,” aims to offer an alternative vision centered on solidarity and an end to cycles of violence. It is organized annually alongside Israel’s official Remembrance Day, providing a space for bereaved Israelis and Palestinians to remember their loved ones together and call for a future free from bloodshed.
“The survey shows that, despite the pain caused by the war, there are clear voices on both the Israeli and Palestinian sides seeking alternatives for peace and reconciliation,” said Eszter Kornyi and Rana Salman, co-directors of Combatants for Peace. “Now more than ever, we choose to hold onto hope and act together for a peaceful future.”
Ayelet Harel and Nadine Comsiyah, co-directors of the Israeli-Palestinian Bereaved Families Forum, emphasized the importance of perseverance: “Since October 7, more than 80 bereaved Israeli and Palestinian families have joined the forum. We demand recognition of the suffering and humanity of the other side. We remain steadfast in our commitment to breaking the cycle of violence and paving the way for a future of freedom, justice, security, and peace.”
The Joint Remembrance Day Ceremony stands as a powerful reminder that, even amid war and hardship, some continue to believe in dialogue, reconciliation, and a shared humanity.
Hamas claimed on Friday that it was ready to engage in negotiations that have dragged on for two weeks in Doha as a ceasefire holds in Gaza. Hamas is playing for time, and it is receiving a ceasefire for Ramadan.,
There is no urgency in Jerusalem to do a deal with Hamas. The US is focused on Ukraine at the moment and the chances of a ceasefire deal with Moscow. As such, Hamas sought to grab the spotlight on March 14 with a claim it was ready to release Edan Alexander, a hostage held in Gaza who holds US and Israeli citizenship.
Hamas said it had “received a proposal from mediators yesterday to resume negotiations, and responded responsibly and positively.” This apparently refers to various proposals floated since March 1. On March 1, the first phase of the ceasefire and hostage deal ended. Thirty-three hostages had been released in 42 days. Israel refused to move to phase two of the deal, which would have seen the rest of the hostages released and an end to the war and the IDF withdrawal from the Philadelphi corridor.
In general, Israel has been unable to get a deal with Hamas and has waited for the US to make the move. US President Donald Trump had been keen to see the hostages released, but he can’t wave a magic wand.Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, was able to get the mid-January ceasefire deal to materialize. Reports indicate that he has sought to bridge the gaps between Israel refusing to move to phase two and Hamas refusing to extend phase one. Reports say that the proposals in Doha relate to a deal to free several living hostages and some deceased hostages for up to 60 days or more of ceasefire. This would represent far fewer hostages than were released in previous deals.
Clearly, the Hamas goal is to get Israel to agree to less of its people being returned.
Hamas thinks that the US hostages held in Gaza are more important
Hamas thinks that the US hostages held in Gaza are more important because they can use a release of these hostages to potentially gain something. Hamas said on March 14 that it would release Edan Alexander, whom it called a “Zionist soldier,” and the remains of four other “dual citizenship” hostages. These are presumed to be deceased American hostages held in Gaza.
Reports have named them as Omer Neutra, Itay Chen, Judith Weinstein, and her husband, Gadi Haggai. Neutra’s parents spoke at the Republican convention in 2024. He was later declared to have been killed on October 7. “We reaffirm our full readiness to engage in negotiations and reach a comprehensive agreement on the issues of the second phase, and call for obligating the occupation to fully implement its commitments,” Hamas said.
Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office put out a statement on Friday in response to the apparent Hamas offer. “While Israel accepted the Witkoff framework, Hamas persists in its refusal and continues to wage psychological warfare against hostage families. The Prime Minister will convene the ministerial team tomorrow evening for a detailed briefing from the negotiating team, and to decide on steps to free the hostages and achieve all our war objectives.”
Meanwhile, other issues relating to the hostages appear to be in motion. Reports that Adam Boehler had withdrawn his nomination to be the US administration’s hostage envoy. However, it appears he will stay focused on US citizens detained or held abroad.
Boehler had been in the spotlight in early March when reports emerged that the US was having direct talks with Hamas. Israel’s government was put in a bind with this report. Jerusalem is afraid of angering Trump or even pushing back on Trump’s moves. As such, it was clear Israel’s government didn’t like the idea of an envoy talking directly to Hamas, but they figured they would let this go on and hope that Boehler would misstep.
That’s what happened when Boehler went on Israeli media for interviews. It didn’t go well, and he was reported to be sidelined. It wasn’t clear if this was because of Israeli pressure or perhaps because he was perceived to have horned in on Witkoff’s work or muddied the waters of the talks.
The question is whether Hamas said it would release Alexander and other Americans in order to try to keep the Boehler track of talks ongoing or if Hamas is trying to get a separate deal with the US. It appears Hamas was putting out claims that it was not communicating in public. This has left mediators nonplussed in the US and Israel. Witkoff characterized the Hamas demands as “unrealistic,” reports said.
So far, there is a lack of clarity on what Hamas is up to. What does seem clear is that Hamas has received a Ramadan ceasefire and not had to turn over any hostages for weeks. Hamas is recuperating and recovering and recruiting. In Israel, demonstrators who support the hostages and their families turned out on March 15 to demand that the hostages be returned.
Even as Hamas recruits, it continues to threaten Israel. The IDF said on March 15 that “two terrorists were identified operating a drone that posed a threat to IDF troops in the area of Beit Lahia. The IDF struck the terrorists.” Sources in Gaza claimed up to nine people were killed, which would make this the most deadly day of the ceasefire in weeks. Hamas believes it can keep the ceasefire and not have to turn over any hostages.
It is unclear if there is a quiet understanding behind the scenes on all sides that Ramadan will be quiet and Hamas will not have to do anything in return for receiving its free ceasefire. Last year, during Ramadan, there was also less intensity to the fighting in Gaza, but the IDF was still operating against Hamas. At the moment, Hamas controls most of Gaza and thinks it has won the war. It assumes Israel’s current leadership doesn’t want to remove Hamas and that Israel prefers to claim that it will defeat Hamas but not actually go back into Gaza.
Hamas also assumes it can hold onto the hostages for years into the future, releasing a few here and there to receive months of ceasefire each time and then dragging out negotiations between the ceasefires as it is doing now.
Hamas believes that inertia now favors Hamas. It likely assumes that only when elections happen in Israel or there is some incentive for Jerusalem to return to fighting, that there might be another war, and otherwise, Hamas can do as it wants. Hamas has already murdered more than 1,000 people, more Jews in one day than at any time since the Shoah, and it continues to run Gaza after 17 months. It thinks Israel is incapable of defeating it or that interests in Israel prefer to keep Hamas in power and not replace it. Hamas will have to wait and see if this is the case. Until then, it will continue to float various hostage release concepts, as it did throughout 2024, to try to create short news cycles and controversy that favor Hamas as it stalls the negotiations.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to hold consultations on Saturday evening following the Israeli delegation’s return from Gaza hostage deal talks in the Qatari capital of Doha.
Israel accused Hamas of deviating from the American proposal for a ceasefire extension after the terror organization announced on Friday that it had agreed to release American-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander from Gaza captivity.
Hamas also said it would return the remains of four deceased hostages with American citizenship: Omer Neutra, Itay Chen, Gadi Haggai, and Judy Weinstein Haggai. Israeli officials previously confirmed the deaths of all four hostages named by Hamas.
US special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff dismissed Hamas’s offer on Friday, warning the Palestinian terror organization that it could no longer play for time with a ceasefire and hostage deal.Gaza hostage deal talks have ‘failed,’ Hamas official tells BBC Arabic
Earlier on Saturday, Hamas officials told BBC Arabic that discussions on the continuation of a Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal have failed.
Additionally, Dr. Tarek Fahmy, a professor of political science, told the BBC that despite a lack of movement in talks, he does not believe fighting will continue in the same capacity it did before the recent ceasefire.
Fahmy stressed he believed “there will be no resumption of the war, despite reports that Israel is preparing to launch qualitative strikes” after the ceasefire expires.
Talks continued throughout the weekend as a Hamas delegation led by Khalil al-Khayya visited Cairo for updates on the negotiations in Qatar.
Amichai Stein contributed to this report.
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