Reports: Israel targets chemical weapons factory in Syria

Mr Yadlin added that if the strikes did indeed come from Israel then it proves that the country "intends to enforce its redlines despite the fact that the great powers are ignoring them".

While also stopping short of confirming Israel's involvement in the airstrikes, the former national security advisor Yaakov Amidror also identified the SSRC as a key site in the development of chemical weapons.

"It is the first time that the target which was attacked is a formal Syrian facility, not just a warehouse but a centre of R&D and...responsible for producing the chemical weapons in the past and many other weapons systems," Mr Amidror said.

He added: "We will not allow Iran and Hezbollah to build the capabilities which allow them to attack Israel from Syria...And we will not allow them to build the capabilities of Hezbollah under the chaotic umbrella of Syria."

The Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad has previously denied its use of chemical weapons and did not mention the research centre in its statement announcing the airstrikes.

"Syria's army warns of the serious repercussions of such acts of aggression on the security and stability of the region," the military's statement read.