Operation Outside the Box

Operation Orchard was an Israeli airstrike on a target in the Deir ez-Zor region of Syria carried out just after midnight (local time) on September 6, 2007. The White House and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) later declared that American intelligence indicated the site was a nuclear facility with a military purpose, though Syria denies this. An International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) investigation reported evidence of uranium and graphite and concluded that the site bore features resembling an undeclared nuclear reactor, but was unable to confirm or deny the nature of the site due to Syria's failure to cooperate. According to news reports, the raid was carried out by the Israeli Air Force 's (IAF) 69th Squadron of F-15Is , F-16Is , and an ELINT aircraft ; as many as eight aircraft participated and at least four of those aircraft crossed into Syrian airspace. The fighters were equipped with AGM-65 Maverick missiles , 500 lb bombs, and external fuel tanks . One report stated that a team of elite Israeli Shaldag special-forces commandos arrived at the site the day before so that they could highlight the target with laser beams, while a later report had (IDF) Sayeret Matkal special-forces commandos involved. " Officials say Israel raid on Syria triggered by arms fears", Reuters, 2007-09-12. NKorea-Syria nuclear work had military aims: White House , Associated French Press, 2008-04-24. London: The Sunday Times . " A Strike in the Dark ", The New Yorker , 2008-02-11. " Turkish FM slams Israel over fuel tanks ", The Jerusalem Post , 2007-09-10. " Snatched: Israeli commandos ‘nuclear’ raid ", The Sunday Times , 2007-09-23.

on Syria Operation Orchard ( , Mivtza bustan ) was an Israeli airstrike on a suspected nuclear reactor in the Deir ez-Zor region of Syria , which occurred just after midnight (local time) on September 6, 2007. The Israeli and U.S. governments imposed virtually total news blackouts immediately after the raid that held for seven months. The White House and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) subsequently confirmed that American intelligence had also indicated the site was a nuclear facility with a military purpose, though Syria denies this. A 2009 International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) investigation reported evidence of uranium and graphite and concluded that the site bore features resembling an undeclared nuclear reactor. IAEA was initially unable to confirm or deny the nature of the site because, according to IAEA, Syria failed to provide necessary cooperation with the IAEA investigation. Nearly five years later, in April 2011, the IAEA officially confirmed that the site was a nuclear reactor. The Israeli attack followed top-level consultations with the Bush Administration . After realizing that the US was not willing to take its own military action, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert decided to adhere to the 1981 Begin Doctrine and unilaterally strike to prevent a Syrian nuclear weapons capability, despite serious concerns about Syrian retaliation. In stark contrast to the doctrine's prior usage against Iraq , the airstrike against Syria did not elicit international outcry. A main reason is that Israel maintained total and complete silence regarding the attack, and Syria covered up its activities at the site and did not cooperate fully with the IAEA. The international silence may have been a tacit recognition of the inevitability of preemptive attacks on "clandestine nuclear programs in their early stages." If true, the Begin Doctrine has undoubtedly played a role in shaping this global perception. According to later news reports, the raid was carried out by Israeli Air Force (IAF) 69 Squadron F-15Is , F-16Is , and an ELINT aircraft ; as many as eight aircraft participated and at least four of these crossed into Syrian airspace. The fighters were equipped with AGM-65 Maverick missiles , 500 lb bombs, and external fuel tanks . One report stated that a team of elite Israeli Shaldag special-forces commandos arrived at the site the day before so that they could highlight the target with laser designators , while a later report identified Sayeret Matkal special-forces commandos as involved. The Observer /The Guardian . The Wall Street Journal . A Strike in the Dark ", The New Yorker , February 11, 2008.

Operation Outside the Box ( , Mivtza Michutz La'Kufsa ) was an Israeli airstrike on a suspected nuclear reactor, referred to as the Al Kibar site (also referred to in IAEA documents as Dair Alzour), in the Deir ez-Zor region of Syria , which occurred just after midnight (local time) on 6 September 2007. The Israeli and U.S. governments did not announce the secret raids for seven months. The White House and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) subsequently confirmed that American intelligence had also indicated the site was a nuclear facility with a military purpose, though Syria denies this. A 2009 International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) investigation reported evidence of uranium and graphite and concluded that the site bore features resembling an undeclared nuclear reactor. IAEA was initially unable to confirm or deny the nature of the site because, according to IAEA, Syria failed to provide necessary cooperation with the IAEA investigation. Nearly four years later, in April 2011 during the Syrian Civil War , the IAEA officially confirmed that the site was a nuclear reactor. Israel did not acknowledge the attack until 2018. The attack reportedly followed Israeli top-level consultations with the Bush Administration . After realizing that the US was not willing to bomb the site after being told so by U.S. Bush , Prime Minister Ehud Olmert decided to adhere to the 1981 Begin Doctrine and unilaterally strike to prevent a Syrian nuclear weapons capability, despite serious concerns about Syrian retaliation. In stark contrast to the doctrine's prior usage against Iraq , the airstrike against Syria did not elicit international outcry. A main reason is that Israel maintained total and complete silence regarding the attack, and Syria covered up its activities at the site and did not cooperate fully with the IAEA. The international silence may have been a tacit recognition of the inevitability of preemptive attacks on "clandestine nuclear programs in their early stages." If true, the Begin Doctrine has undoubtedly played a role in shaping this global perception. According to official government confirmation on 21 March 2018, the raid was carried out by Israeli Air Force (IAF) 69 Squadron F-15Is , and 119 Squadron and 253 Squadron F-16Is , and an ELINT aircraft ; as many as eight aircraft participated and at least four of these crossed into Syrian airspace. The fighters were equipped with AGM-65 Maverick missiles , 500 lb bombs, and external fuel tanks . One report stated that a team of elite Israeli Shaldag special-forces commandos arrived at the site the day before so that they could highlight the target with laser designators , while a later report identified Sayeret Matkal special-forces commandos as involved. The attack pioneered the use of Israel's electronic warfare capabilities, as IAF electronic warfare (EW) systems took over Syria's air defense systems, feeding them a false sky-picture for the entire period of time that the Israeli fighter jets needed to cross Syria, bomb their target and return. On 6 March 2017, the Kibar nuclear site was captured by the Syrian Democratic Forces – a U.S.-backed coalition of Kurdish and Arab militia fighters – from a retreating ISIL force in northern Deir Ezzor province. The Observer /The Guardian . The Wall Street Journal . [3] IAEA: Syria tried to build nuclear reactor Associated Press Latest Update: 04.28.11, 18:10 "Officials say Israel raid on Syria triggered by arms fears" . A Strike in the Dark ", The New Yorker , 11 February 2008.

2007 Israeli airstrike on a suspected nuclear reactor in Syria Operation Outside the Box ( , Mivtza MiHutz LaKufsa ), also known as Operation Orchard ( , Mivtza Bustan ), was an Israeli airstrike on a suspected nuclear reactor, referred to as the Al Kibar site (also referred to in IAEA documents as Dair Alzour), in the Deir ez-Zor region of Syria , which occurred just after midnight (local time) on 6 September 2007. The Israeli and U.S. governments did not announce the secret raids for seven months. The White House and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) subsequently confirmed that American intelligence had also indicated the site was a nuclear facility with a military purpose, though Syria denies this. A 2009 International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) investigation reported evidence of uranium and graphite and concluded that the site bore features resembling an undeclared nuclear reactor. IAEA was initially unable to confirm or deny the nature of the site because, according to IAEA, Syria failed to provide necessary cooperation with the IAEA investigation. Nearly four years later, in April 2011 during the Syrian Civil War , the IAEA officially confirmed that the site was a nuclear reactor. Israel did not acknowledge the attack until 2018. The attack reportedly followed Israeli top-level consultations with the Bush Administration . After realizing that the US was not willing to bomb the site after being told so by U.S. Bush , Prime Minister Ehud Olmert decided to adhere to the 1981 Begin Doctrine and unilaterally strike to prevent a Syrian nuclear weapons capability, despite serious concerns about Syrian retaliation. In stark contrast to the doctrine's prior usage against Iraq , the airstrike against Syria did not elicit international outcry. A main reason is that Israel maintained total and complete silence regarding the attack, and Syria covered up its activities at the site and did not cooperate fully with the IAEA. The international silence may have been a tacit recognition of the inevitability of preemptive attacks on "clandestine nuclear programs in their early stages." If true, the Begin Doctrine has undoubtedly played a role in shaping this global perception. According to official government confirmation on 21 March 2018, the raid was carried out by Israeli Air Force (IAF) 69 Squadron F-15Is , and 119 Squadron and 253 Squadron F-16Is , and an ELINT aircraft ; as many as eight aircraft participated and at least four of these crossed into Syrian airspace. The fighters were equipped with AGM-65 Maverick missiles , 500-pound (230 kg) bombs, and external fuel tanks . One report stated that a team of elite Israeli Shaldag special-forces commandos arrived at the site the day before so that they could highlight the target with laser designators , while a later report identified Sayeret Matkal special-forces commandos as involved. The Israeli attack used sophisticated electronic warfare capabilities, as IAF electronic warfare (EW) systems took over Syria's air defense systems, feeding them a false sky-picture for the entire period of time that the Israeli fighter jets needed to cross Syria, bomb their target and return. On 6 March 2017, the Kibar nuclear site was captured by the Syrian Democratic Forces – a U.S.-backed coalition of Kurdish and Arab militia fighters – from a retreating ISIL force in northern Deir Ezzor province. The Times of Israel . "More than a decade on, Israel admits to strike on suspected Syrian nuclear reactor" . 21 March 2018. The Observer /The Guardian . The Wall Street Journal . IAEA: Syria tried to build nuclear reactor Associated Press Latest Update: 04.28.11, 18:10 "Officials say Israel raid on Syria triggered by arms fears" .