Inside ‘Operation Many Ways’: How 120 Elite Israeli Forces Raided Syria and Destroyed a Missile Plant in 3 Hours.
In a covert and meticulously planned mission, 120 elite Israeli commandos infiltrated deep into Syrian territory to obliterate a high-security underground missile manufacturing facility, allegedly funded by Iran.
The operation, dubbed “Operation Many Ways,” unfolded on the night of September 8, 2024, and within three hours, the site lay in ruins. (Watch Video Below).
The Israeli Air Force (IAF) declassified the operation on January 2, 2025, shedding light on one of the most daring military missions in recent history.
The Target: Deep Layer Facility
The target of the operation was the “Deep Layer” facility, buried 70 to 130 meters beneath a mountain in the Masyaf region of western Syria.
According to Israeli intelligence, the facility was Iran’s response to a prior Israeli airstrike in 2017 that destroyed an above-ground missile engine site.
This underground fortress was designed to withstand further attacks and mass-produce missiles capable of reaching targets up to 300 kilometers away.
The facility’s construction spanned four years, becoming fully operational by 2021. Its annual output was estimated to be between 100 and 300 missiles, intended to supply Hezbollah in Lebanon and bolster Syrian military capabilities.
The horseshoe-shaped complex featured three entrances: one for raw materials, another for finished missiles, and a third for logistical operations.
Inside, 16 production rooms hummed with activity, including rocket fuel mixers, missile body assembly stations, and specialized paint rooms.
Preparing for the Impossible
Israeli forces had monitored Deep Layer since its inception, biding their time as intelligence operatives meticulously mapped its layout and assessed Syrian defenses.
The mission’s urgency escalated following the outbreak of a multifront war in October 2023, which saw simultaneous conflicts with Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iranian-backed militias.
The decision to proceed was finalized in July 2024, sparking two months of relentless training and simulations by the Shaldag Unit and Unit 669.
The Execution: A Precision Strike
As darkness fell on September 8, four CH-53 “Yasur” heavy transport helicopters lifted off from Israel, each carrying 25 commandos.
Flanked by AH-64 Apache gunships, 21 fighter jets, five drones, and 14 reconnaissance aircraft, the convoy arced west over the Mediterranean to evade Syrian radar.
DECLASSIFIED: In September 2024, before the fall of the Assad Regime, our soldiers conducted an undercover operation to dismantle an Iranian-funded underground precision missile production site in Syria.
Watch exclusive footage from this historic moment. pic.twitter.com/s0bTDNwx77
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) January 2, 2025
As the team approached Masyaf, Israeli jets launched diversionary strikes across Syria, scattering Syrian air defense networks and diverting attention from the true target.
Flying low to avoid detection, the helicopters hovered near the facility’s entrances. Shaldag commandos stormed the complex, breaching heavily reinforced doors with explosive charges and forklifts commandeered from the site.
The team planted 660 pounds of explosives at critical points, targeting planetary mixers and missile assembly lines. Within an hour, the charges were primed, and the soldiers evacuated.
From a safe distance, the commandos triggered the explosives, unleashing a detonation equivalent to one ton of TNT. The blast rippled through the mountain, described by one soldier as causing the “earth to shudder.”
Israeli officials later revealed that the mission claimed the lives of 30 Syrian guards, while Syrian state media reported 14 deaths and 43 injuries.
Aftermath and Strategic Impact
The IAF hailed the mission as a resounding success, striking a decisive blow against Iran’s missile supply chain and crippling Hezbollah’s arsenal.
In the days following the raid, satellite images revealed the extent of the destruction, showing collapsed tunnels and smoke plumes billowing from the mountain.
Despite the daring nature of the operation, no Israeli soldiers were harmed. The raid signaled Israel’s resolve to counter Iran’s influence in the region and reinforced its reputation for executing high-risk missions with surgical precision.
“Operation Many Ways” now stands as a testament to Israel’s unwavering commitment to national security, a strike that reverberated far beyond the borders of Syria.
