The decision to involve troops on the ground who were armed with demolition charges was made to ensure that the facility was destroyed entirely, the officials said. Israel had struck the facility repeatedly in the past, and in 2018 it assassinated a Syrian rocket scientist who worked at the center developing precision-guided munitions.

An independent U.N. commission says Israel has intensified airstrikes on Iranian-linked targets in Syria, inflicting civilian casualties on at least three occasions.

Tensions are rising not only on Israel’s northern front along the border with Lebanon, but also on the border with Syria and further off, with Iran.

The missile production facility was destroyed in the attack, according to Western officials. Syrian state media reported that 18 people were killed in the strike.

Israeli special forces killed at least 16 people and struck a blow against a suspected Iranian missile factory, U.S. officials said.

Overnight Israeli airstrikes have killed 18 people and wounded 37 others in western Syria, said Syrian Health Minister Hassan al-Ghabbash on Monday, during a visit to one of the sites. (Courtesy: Reut