‘Serious Concerns’: Israel Strikes Chemical Weapons Sites in Syria After Fall of Assad Regime

Latest Developments

• Israel Confirms IDF Strikes on Chemical Weapons in Syria: Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar confirmed in a media briefing on December 9 that the IDF had struck chemical weapons sites in Syria. The strikes came as Islamist rebels led by U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization Hayat Tahrir al-Sham ousted former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad from power early on December 8. Sa’ar said that “the only interest we have is the security of Israel and its citizens. That’s why we attacked strategic weapons systems, like for example, remaining chemical weapons,” adding that the strikes were carried out to prevent the weapons of mass destruction from falling into “the hands of extremists.”

• U.S. Working with Coalition to Stop Chemical Weapons Falling into Syrian Jihadist Hands: In tandem with the Israeli strikes, the United States said that it was “working with several other countries in the Middle East” to prevent Syrian terrorist organizations from seizing the former Assad regime’s stockpiles of chemical weapons. A U.S. official told reporters that Washington is “taking very prudent measures … to ensure that those materials are not available to anyone,” adding that they “want to make sure that chlorine or things that are far worse are destroyed or secured.”

• International Chemical Weapons Organization Monitoring Situation: The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), which aims to “permanently and verifiably eliminate chemical weapons,” said on December 9 that it had been monitoring the developments in Syria, paying “special attention to the status of its chemical weapons related sites.” The OPCW voiced “serious concerns” about Syria’s chemical weapons program, adding that they have repeatedly documented and investigated Syria’s “use of toxic chemicals as weapons” throughout the Syrian Civil War. The OPCW said they are “ready to engage further on these matters with relevant Syrian authorities and international partners.”

FDD Expert Response

“It is critical that the United States and Israel do not allow terrorist organizations such as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham to gain access to the former Assad regime’s weapons of mass destruction. Airstrikes against chemical weapons storage facilities, launch systems, and other facilities are necessary to prevent HTS from possessing these deadly weapons. However, airstrikes may not be enough, and the United States and Israel may need to put teams on the ground to secure critical sites and destroy the chemical weapons. This must be carefully considered, as this will be a dangerous endeavor.” — Bill Roggio, Senior Fellow and Editor of FDD’s Long War Journal

“It’s prudent for the Israeli Air Force to be striking chemical weapons sites in Syria, but there are limits to what can be done from the air. One of the big questions for Syria’s interim authorities is whether they will renounce chemical weapons, consistent with Syria’s treaty obligations, and let international inspectors fully document and dismantle the program that Assad and his father built over 50 years.” — David Adesnik, Vice President of Research

“Preventing Syria’s chemical weapons, agents, precursors, and associated research capabilities from falling into the hands of jihadist groups must be job number one. This means Israel must continue striking Syrian chemical weapons plants. Washington must also get involved and use the considerable intelligence and air power at the disposal of the United States to assist. Afterward, the new Syrian authorities must bring in the OPCW to account for remaining stocks and oversee their verified destruction as well as pursue accountability against Assad regime officials and Russia for their horrific chemical weapons attacks on the Syrian people.” — Andrea Stricker, Nonproliferation and Biodefense Program Deputy Director and Research Fellow