A recent series of Israeli airstrikes targeted central Syria late Sunday, resulting in the deaths of at least seven individuals, including three civilians, as reported by a war monitoring group. The strikes have been part of an ongoing campaign by Israel, which has conducted numerous attacks in Syria since the civil war commenced in 2011, primarily focusing on pro-Iranian factions.
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based group with extensive contacts within Syria, the casualties included a father and his son who were traveling in a car at the time of the strikes. Additionally, four soldiers of unidentified affiliations were reported killed.
The Observatory detailed that the strikes caused significant destruction, wounding at least 15 others and annihilating military infrastructures within the Masyaf region, an area known for housing scientific research centers and hosting pro-Iranian groups and weapons development specialists.
Earlier reports from the Syrian state news agency, Sana, indicated slightly different figures, citing five fatalities and 19 injuries. The agency attributed the discrepancy to a direct air assault carried out by Israel from Lebanese airspace around 11:20 PM local time, targeting various military sites.
Despite successfully intercepting some missiles, the Syrian military confirmed the extensive damages and casualties caused by the airstrikes. These attacks have become more frequent following the October 7 attack by Hamas on Israel, which escalated into a broader conflict in Gaza.
Israel, maintaining a policy of non-disclosure on specific operations conducted in Syria, asserts its strategic imperative to prevent Iran from consolidating a military foothold in the region. This stance follows a pattern of preemptive strikes to thwart perceived threats, including recent actions that resulted in the deaths of several pro-Iranian combatants in Homs and members of the Islamic Jihad near the Syrian-Lebanese border.
