Israel Destroyed 90 Percent of Iranian Capacities in Syrian Territories

Smoke rises from a fire in a container storage area, after Syrian state media reported an Israeli airstrike on the Syrian port of Latakia, Syria, in this handout picture released by SANA on December 7, 2021. (SANA/Handout via Reuters)
Smoke rises from a fire in a container storage area, after Syrian state media reported an Israeli airstrike on the Syrian port of Latakia, Syria, in this handout picture released by SANA on December 7, 2021. (SANA/Handout via Reuters)
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Israel Destroyed 90 Percent of Iranian Capacities in Syrian Territories

Smoke rises from a fire in a container storage area, after Syrian state media reported an Israeli airstrike on the Syrian port of Latakia, Syria, in this handout picture released by SANA on December 7, 2021. (SANA/Handout via Reuters)
Smoke rises from a fire in a container storage area, after Syrian state media reported an Israeli airstrike on the Syrian port of Latakia, Syria, in this handout picture released by SANA on December 7, 2021. (SANA/Handout via Reuters)

The Israeli military has destroyed about 90 percent of Iran's military infrastructure and attempts to entrench itself with Hezbollah and other pro-Iranian militias in Syria, three officials in the Israeli army said.

According to the officials, Israel has in recent years succeeded in almost completely curbing Iran's ability to transfer weapons to Syria, to manufacture weapons on the country's soil and to establish a base in it with pro-Iranian forces.

There have been talks on Wednesday about Israel halting raids in Syria in the past months out of fear of a Russian response.

However, last Friday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said an Israeli airstrike near Damascus destroyed an Iranian-backed drone manufacturing and weapons storage site.

According to the sources, the plan of the former commander of the Iranian Quds Force, Qassem Soleimani, who was killed by the Americans in 2020, has failed due to the Israeli army’s continued air campaign against the forces in Syria.

The security officials emphasized that the army severely damaged Iran's smuggling routes from the sea, air and even from the land from Iran to Syria.

As a result of the attacks, the ability of the Syrian army to produce weapons and ammunition has also been damaged since the Iranians and Hezbollah used the same factories for the production of their weapons.

The focus of the attacks in recent years has also been to stop the smuggling of components for CERS – the Centre D’Etudes et de Recherches Scientifiques (CERS) in Masyaf that is used by Iran to produce advanced missiles and weapons for its proxies.

According to sources in Israel, Syrian President Bashar Assad has realized that in the coming years he will not be able to regain territories occupied by the Kurds, including the Turks, and instead is focused on reducing the activity of Iran and Hezbollah in his country, with an emphasis on the Syrian Golan Heights.



Italy Discussing Expanding EU Aspides Mission to Include Strait of Hormuz, Defense Minister Says

Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Italy Discussing Expanding EU Aspides Mission to Include Strait of Hormuz, Defense Minister Says

Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Italy’s defense minister said discussions are underway to expand the European Union’s Red Sea naval mission, Aspides, to include the Strait of Hormuz, warning that Iran’s missile and nuclear ambitions pose a global threat.

In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said the EU is considering widening the mandate of its “Aspides” mission to protect maritime navigation beyond its current area of operations.

“The discussions aim to allow the European Union to extend maritime security operations, including the protection of the Strait of Hormuz,” he underlined.

However, Crosetto stressed that any such effort would require a broader international coalition, noting that Asian economies depend more heavily on the strategic waterway.

“This alliance goes far beyond Europe,” he noted. “Given the strait’s vital importance to Asia, it is only fair that Asian countries assume greater responsibility.”

Saudi and Gulf role

Crosetto praised Saudi Arabia’s handling of Iranian attacks, which he described as “provocative,” calling Riyadh’s response “extremely serious and important.”

“From the beginning, Saudi Arabia worked to prevent escalation,” he said. “It defended itself without being drawn into retaliation and helped create the conditions that now allow us to believe the war may be over.”

He continued that the conflict underscored a key lesson for Gulf states: that peace depends on credible defense and deterrence.

“They were attacked despite not taking hostile action,” he noted. “Even if calm returns, there is no guarantee Iran’s behavior will not change again.”

The minister added that the strikes, including on energy infrastructure and desalination plants, showed that civilian sites must be protected alongside military assets.

Growing defense ties

Crosetto said defense cooperation between Italy and Saudi Arabia has accelerated in recent years, particularly in industrial partnerships.

He said: “Italy does not simply sell. We aim to build joint development partnerships fully aligned with Vision 2030.”

He pointed to a recent satellite agreement and ongoing talks covering air defense, naval systems, aviation and helicopters.

“Our cooperation goes beyond transferring production to include technology transfer and exchange,” he remarked.

Italy also offered support during the conflict, deploying defensive systems against missiles and drones.

“We assisted friendly countries facing unjustified aggression,” he said, stressing that the support was not commercial.

Hormuz must remain open

Crosetto firmly rejected any suggestion that Iran could impose transit fees or restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz, saying: “It is absolutely unacceptable for Iran to impose any fees or constraints. The strait must remain a free passage.”

He warned that allowing countries to weaponize strategic waterways would set a dangerous precedent.

“Otherwise, others could follow — from the Houthis to states controlling the Strait of Malacca, the Panama Canal or Gibraltar. That would be sheer madness,” he stressed.

Iran and regional security

Crosetto said Italy maintains communication channels with Tehran but acknowledged ties are limited. “Our relations with Iran are not particularly strong. The issue today is identifying who our real counterpart is.”

He argued that power in Iran is increasingly concentrated in the hands of the Revolutionary Guard Corps, making diplomacy more difficult.

“They represent one of the main obstacles to peace,” he said.

The minister also warned that Iran’s military capabilities extend beyond the region, saying: “As Iran has targeted Riyadh, Doha or Dubai, it could target Rome, Paris or Berlin tomorrow. This is unacceptable.”

He added that Iran obtaining nuclear weapons would be a threat “not only to Israel, but to the entire world.”

NATO and European defense

Asked about concerns over NATO’s future following remarks by US President Donald Trump, Crosetto expressed confidence in the alliance.

“NATO will endure for a very long time,” he said. “It is an added value for both Europe and the United States.”

He stressed that recent conflicts have reshaped Europe’s understanding of deterrence, highlighting the importance of coordination among allies.

“The broader and more interconnected defense becomes, the stronger it is,” the minister emphasized, calling for a greater European role alongside NATO, including non-EU countries such as Türkiye, Ukraine and Norway.

Drones

Crosetto said Italy is studying recent conflicts — from Ukraine to the Gulf — to reassess national security risks.

He argued that while the war in Ukraine appears conventional, fought in trenches reminiscent of World War I, it is fundamentally modern due to the widespread use of drones.

“Drones are now the most used weapons and account for a large share of losses,” he stated.

By contrast, the Gulf conflict has been largely aerial and missile-based, with drones — increasingly enhanced by artificial intelligence — transforming defense strategies.

The minister remarked that future defense systems must be multilayered to counter evolving threats.


Israeli Intelligence Reveals Major Fracture in Iran’s Leadership

A member of the Iranian security forces stands guard next to a banner honoring Iran's slain supreme leader Ali Khamenei in Tehran on March 31, 2026. (AFP)
A member of the Iranian security forces stands guard next to a banner honoring Iran's slain supreme leader Ali Khamenei in Tehran on March 31, 2026. (AFP)
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Israeli Intelligence Reveals Major Fracture in Iran’s Leadership

A member of the Iranian security forces stands guard next to a banner honoring Iran's slain supreme leader Ali Khamenei in Tehran on March 31, 2026. (AFP)
A member of the Iranian security forces stands guard next to a banner honoring Iran's slain supreme leader Ali Khamenei in Tehran on March 31, 2026. (AFP)

Tel Aviv has confirmed a major fracture in the Iranian leadership, which implies a partial collapse of the regime in Tehran in wake of the US-Israeli war on Iran, revealed a report by the Military Intelligence Directorate of the Israeli Army (Aman).

According to Aman, the absence of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, killed in joint US-Israeli air strike on February 28, has left a significant power vacuum in the country.

It said his son and successor, Mojtaba, lacks the charisma of his father and does not command the same religious stature or political weight. He is also still recovering from severe injuries sustained from a strike during the war and therefore, is considered unable to take real power.

The Aman report, published by the Walla website on Sunday, listed the names of Iran’s current leaders who remained in power after the US and Israeli strikes eliminated 55 key leading figures.

In addition to Mojtaba Khamenei, the list includes former Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) intelligence chief Hossein Taeb, who is also a senior adviser to Mojtaba and his secretary. Taeb is regarded as a hardline official, who considers any agreement with the West as betrayal and an existential threat to the regime.

Another survivor of the Iranian leadership is IRGC commander Ahmed Vahidi, a former Minister of Defense and Interior, who is widely considered a major hardliner.

The list also includes parliament speaker and one of Iran’s top negotiators, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, a veteran conservative politician who is interested in improving the economy and preventing Iran’s social and political collapse.

Among the reformists, the list includes President Masoud Pezeshkian, who is pursuing a more moderate path focused on economic reform and easing international sanctions. However, his powers are constrained by the IRGC.

Another reformist is Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who was a negotiator in the first nuclear deal in 2015. A senior Aman official said Araghchi is viewed as a diplomat skilled in navigating complex negotiations while attempting to preserve Iranian “dignity” against US demands.

An Israeli general in Aman said the Israeli and US strikes has decimated the inner circle of the supreme leader, forcing Tehran to rely on a more fragmented and weak leadership structure that suffers from internal tensions despite the ceasefire.

The general added that the war, assassinations, the absence of Ali Khamenei, the destruction and lack of communication among security and political figures, have all fractured the Iranian leadership, complicating its ability to make decisions and coordinate.

Aman said the hardliners have gained more power in Iran and are now capable to ruin any deal reached between reformists and the US.


Ukrainian Drones Kill Man in South Russia

This handout satellite image courtesy of 2026 Vantor taken and made available on April 16, 2026, shows smoke rising from the Tuapse oil refinery of in Tuapse, south-western Russia. (Handout / Satellite image ゥ2026 Vantor / AFP)
This handout satellite image courtesy of 2026 Vantor taken and made available on April 16, 2026, shows smoke rising from the Tuapse oil refinery of in Tuapse, south-western Russia. (Handout / Satellite image ゥ2026 Vantor / AFP)
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Ukrainian Drones Kill Man in South Russia

This handout satellite image courtesy of 2026 Vantor taken and made available on April 16, 2026, shows smoke rising from the Tuapse oil refinery of in Tuapse, south-western Russia. (Handout / Satellite image ゥ2026 Vantor / AFP)
This handout satellite image courtesy of 2026 Vantor taken and made available on April 16, 2026, shows smoke rising from the Tuapse oil refinery of in Tuapse, south-western Russia. (Handout / Satellite image ゥ2026 Vantor / AFP)

A Ukrainian drone attack killed a man and wounded another in the resort city of Tuapse on the Black Sea in southern Russia, the regional governor said Monday.

It was the second assault on the seaport in a matter of days, with drone debris damaging windows in buildings across the city, including apartments, a primary school, kindergarten, museum and church, Veniamin Kondratiev added.

"Tuapse came under yet another massive drone attack tonight. As a result, one man was killed at the seaport, according to preliminary information. I extend my deepest condolences to his family," Kondratiev said.

Another man was also wounded in the attack and received medical assistance, he added.

On Thursday, a 14-year-old girl and a young woman were killed by a nighttime drone attack on the same city, according to a previous statement by the governor.

Russia's defense ministry also reported that its air defenses had "destroyed 112 Ukrainian drones" overnight Sunday to Monday.