Israeli intel firm says Syria’s S-300 air defenses ‘probably operational’

An Israeli satellite imagery analysis company says Syria’s entire S-300 air defense system appears to be operational, indicating a larger threat to Israel’s ability to conduct airstrikes against Iranian and pro-Iranian forces in the country.

Until now, only three of the country’s four surface-to-air missile launchers had been seen fully erected.

Earlier this year, the firm, ImageSat International, said the Russia-supplied battery appeared to be operational, based on multiple satellite images of the anti-aircraft battery.

ISI #satellite image from #today shows: the fourth S-300 launcher in #Masyaf, #Syria, erected.#IMINT #VISINT #intelligence #satellite #s300 #Turkey #Russia #ISI #snaptasking pic.twitter.com/ciZeTBwWyr

— ImageSat Intl. (@ImageSatIntl) June 30, 2019

“The images of the three erected launchers at various times in Syria indicate that they are probably operational,” the firm wrote on its website in February.

The satellite imagery company said at the time that the fourth launcher, which has now been seen erected, was “possibly an invalid, dummy or a different element that serves as deception.”

— Judah Ari Gross