According to Israeli satellite pictures, Iran has built another permanent military base in Damascus with hangars used to store short to medium range missiles, Fox News reported.

The news channel obtained the images from the Israeli company, ImageSat international, which show two white hangars, about 30 meters by 20 meters each.

According to Fox news, the base is operated by the Quds Force, an Iranian faction operating in Syria under the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
A similar Iranian base was destroyed in Syria by the Israeli military in December.

Meanwhile, an official from Russia’s Security Council said on Thursday that the US has set up around 20 military bases in Syria on territory controlled by the Kurds, the RIA news agency reported.

The official, Alexander Venediktov, an aide to Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev, also said Washington was supplying the Kurds with the most advanced weapons, according to RIA.

The comes amidst wide criticism of Russia and Iran’s continued support for the Assad regime, and their raids of eastern Ghouta which has killed hundreds of civilians, including women and children.

The duo has received backlash from UN officials and security council members, including Kelley Currie, the US ambassador for economic and social affairs.

“Russia, Iran and the Assad regime are not even trying to hide their intentions,” Currie told the council in their last meeting. “They are asking civilians to leave eastern Ghouta on the false premise that they can then attack anyone left in the area as much as they would like.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly stated that Israel will not tolerate an Iranian foothold on its northern border with Syria.

Earlier this month, an unmanned Iranian aircraft was shot down by Israeli forces after entering Israeli airspace.

– With Reuters