New satellite images indicate that a military compound in northwest Syria has been turned into a facility for the production of precision surface-to-surface missiles, an Israeli intelligence-gathering firm, ImageSat International (ISI) announced on Wednesday.

However, the company noted that “there is probably no manufacturing or assembly of missile engines and warheads in this complex, since protected structures weren’t detected."

The plant, near the city of Safita which is located eight kilometers from the Lebanese border, was first exposed last month by Israeli Channel 12, which said Israeli officials believe it is a precision missile factory being constructed by Iran in cooperation with the Syrian government and Hezbollah.

“The construction patterns, the compound’s location and the signs of activity at the compound and its surrounding area increase the probability that this is a missiles manufacturing site,” said the company.

“The compound contains three main hangars which are reminiscent of large industrial buildings. If this site is indeed related to SSM manufacturing, it is possible that two hangars include production lines, and the third is for manufacture or assembly," it noted.

ImageSat International also said that vehicle activity at the site, particularly the use of buses and vans by workers, followed the pattern of operations at military facilities; tracks seen in a nearby area were also compatible with those made by SSM launcher vehicles.