Israel destroys Pantsir-S1 air defense system in Syria

Israel Defense Forces confirmed that it attacked several of the Syrian Armed Forces Pantsir-S1 air defense batteries around Damascus, on 21 January. On 21 January, the Israeli military says it has hit Iranian and Syrian targets around Damascus, including advanced Pantsir-S1 air defense system. The Israel Defense Forces said the overnight operation targeted the elite Quds Force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, as well as Syrian air defenses. Four people are reported to have died. “During our strike, dozens of Syrian surface-to-air missiles were launched, despite clear warnings to avoid such fire. In response, we also targeted several of the Syrian Armed Forces’ aerial defense batteries,” the military statement said. Also, Israeli military released footage showing the several Russian-made Pantsir-S1 (SA-22 according to the NATO designation) missile defense systems took a direct hit during an Israeli airstrike in Syria. The Pantsir-S1 is a Russian-built advanced, self-propelled combined gun/missile system that is made mobile on 8×8 trucks. The transportable gun/SAM system includes up to 12 surface-to-air missiles arranged into two 6-tube groups on the turret, and a pair of 30mm cannon. This is not the first case when the Israeli Air Force destroys the Pantsir-S1 system with impunity. On May 10, 2018, Israeli fighter jets struck several military targets in Syria, including Russian-built Pantsir-S1system