Israel Strikes Military Site Near Syria’s Daraa Amid Escalating Tensions
Key Points:
- Israel launched air strikes targeting the area surrounding Syria’s southern city of Daraa, according to Syria’s state news agency SANA.
- The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the strikes hit a military site previously used by ousted president Bashar Assad’s forces, now under the control of Syria’s new authorities.
- The attack caused a fire, with ambulances rushing to the scene amid reports of casualties.
- Since Assad’s overthrow in December, Israel has intensified its military operations in Syria, including deploying troops to a UN-patrolled buffer zone in the Golan Heights.
- Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed another strike on Damascus, stating that the Israeli military targeted a “command center” belonging to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group.
- The Observatory reported one fatality from the Damascus strike, while SANA confirmed a building was hit in the capital.
- The Israeli military claimed the targeted command center was used to coordinate attacks against Israel.
- A source within Islamic Jihad acknowledged the strike but asserted that the targeted building had been closed for five years and was not actively used by the group.
- Israel has conducted hundreds of strikes in Syria since the Syrian civil war began in 2011, mainly targeting government forces and Iranian-linked positions.
Israel’s latest air strikes in Syria signal continued military engagement in the region, particularly in targeting forces linked to Palestinian groups and the new Syrian authorities. With increasing tensions and ongoing military actions, the conflict in Syria remains a focal point for regional security dynamics. The extent of casualties and further geopolitical ramifications remain to be seen.
