The Washington Post reported that the unusual raids took place last June, in which seven soldiers were killed - including a colonel. 

Israel feared the Assad regime is trying to reproduce deadly nerve gases, years after it was forced to give up most of its chemical weapons stockpiles under US pressure. "This is a strategic weapon for the regime."

Israel attacked chemical weapons production facilities in Syria last June, in unusual raids deep in the country, the Washington Post reported today (Monday).

Fighter jets reportedly fired missiles at three military targets near Damascus and Homs, killing seven soldiers, including an officer with the rank of colonel described in the regime's official media as a "hero" and an engineer who passed through a top-secret Syrian army laboratory.

Western intelligence experts told the newspaper that in contrast to Israel's routine attacks against Iranian targets in Syria, those attacks were aimed at Syrian army installations, all related to the chemical weapons program allegedly dismantled by the Assad regime.

According to current and past intelligence and security sources, who spoke with the Washington Post and were briefed on the issue, the attacks in June were part of a campaign against what Israel estimates is Damascus' attempt to resume production of lethal nerve gases.

Israel refused to officially comment on the article. But anonymously, Israeli officials told the Washington Post that the June attacks, as well as similar raids carried out a year earlier, were based on intelligence that the Syrian government had purchased chemicals and other equipment needed to renew its chemical weapons program. Allegedly, the Assad regime gave up all of its reserves in 2013, as part of an agreement between Russia and the United States designed to prevent a U.S. attack on Syria following a deadly chemical attack on civilians.

In recent years, however, the regime has used chemical weapons against the opposition on several occasions, although the Syrian and Russian governments have officially denied this.

According to anonymous sources, Israeli intelligence agencies began monitoring with concern the renewal of the chemical weapons program two years ago, after Assad's army was able to import an important chemical for the production of sarin, a deadly nerve gas. The concern grew after increased activity was identified at several suspicious sites. Although the Assad regime has used this weapon against its citizens and opponents in Syria, it was originally created as a weapon in Israel.

"This is a strategic weapon for the regime," a Western intelligence source told the Washington Post.