Israel bombs Iranian targets in Syria, 5 killed – Report
The Israeli Air Force (IAF) on Monday night bombed targets in southern Syria, during which five were killed and several others were injured, the country’s state media reported.
File photo: Two Israeli F-35 “Adir” jets fly in formation. Credit: U.S. Air Force/1st Lt. Erik D. Anthony.
SANA news reported that the airstrike was directed from the Israeli side of the Golan Heights against military sites in southern Damascus, and claiming that the army’s air defences “confronted the aggression and shot down most of the missiles before reaching their targets.”
Two soldiers were killed, and seven others were injured, in addition to material damages to the targets, the report said.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) quoted its sources in the country which reported that five Iranian-backed militiamen were killed, including three of non-Syrian nationalities, and more than 10 others were injured. The attack also caused “significant material losses” at the targeted sites.
SOHR reported that Israeli strikes targeted several Syrian military positions in rural Damascus and Daraa. One of the strikes hit the perimeter of Damascus international airport and al-Kiswa area, south of Damascus.
These areas have previously been hit in Israeli strikes.
Israeli missiles also hit the perimeter of Izraa, the battalions of Namir and Qarfa and Tal Mahaja in the north-eastern countryside of Daraa, where Lebanese Hezbollah forces are present.
As in most previous incidents, Israel has remained silent on the reports.
The reported strikes occurred as the IDF is on high alert on Israel’s northern border in expectation of an attack by the Hezbollah terror organization. Hezbollah Secretary-General Hasan Nasrallah on Sunday again threatened to kill Israeli soldiers
The last strike in Syria attributed to Israel occurred at the end of July, in which a Hezbollah terrorist was killed. The IDF has been on high alert since.
In general, Iran’s military build-up in Syria remains a red line for Israel. The Israeli Air Force has carried out thousands of attacks to thwart the Iranian entrenchment in the war-torn country.
Israeli leaders have repeatedly declared that they will not tolerate an Iranian threat on its northern border with Syria and will take all necessary measures to ensure that such a menace does not emerge.
