Israeli special forces killed at least 16 people and struck a blow against a suspected Iranian missile factory, U.S. officials said.

The missile production facility was destroyed in the attack, according to Western officials. Syrian state media reported that 18 people were killed in the strike.

An elite Israeli army unit conducted a "highly unusual raid" in Syria earlier this week and destroyed an underground precision missile factory that Israel and the U.S. claim was built by Iran, three sources briefed on the operation told U.

Israel and Hezbollah have increasingly exchanged fire with volleys of missiles and strikes, with Israel escalating after the attack on the Golan Heights that killed a dozen children.