Israel conducted multiple airstrikes in Syria, targeting areas in Damascus and nearby suburbs, resulting in at least 15 fatalities and injuries to 16 others, as reported by Syria’s state media, SANA. The strikes affected Mazzeh, a prominent neighborhood in Damascus, and the nearby suburb of Qudsaya. Local sources reported that a five-story building in Mazzeh was partially destroyed by a missile strike.
The Israeli military confirmed it had attacked sites linked to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group, claiming significant damage to command centers and operational hubs. According to Israeli defense sources, these sites serve as logistical support for Islamic Jihad, an organization that was allegedly involved in the October 7 assault on southern Israel, coordinated alongside Hamas. The attack led to a large number of civilian casualties and kidnappings. Israel’s military vowed to continue operations targeting the group as part of its broader regional response.
The airstrikes came shortly before Ali Larijani, a key advisor to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, was expected to meet Palestinian representatives at the Iranian Embassy in Mazzeh. Tehran has maintained close ties with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s government since the 2011 conflict in Syria, providing economic and military support to stabilize his administration.
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Meanwhile, regional tensions have continued to escalate, with Israel’s ongoing conflict with Hamas in Gaza spreading to Lebanon and Syria. The war has claimed thousands of lives in Gaza, with local health officials reporting the death toll primarily among civilians, including women and children. Syrian state media reported that air defenses responded to an additional “hostile target” near Homs, another significant location in Syria’s central region.
In Lebanon, Israeli airstrikes targeted Hezbollah-controlled areas in Baalbek, reportedly killing nine individuals and injuring five. The intensified strikes have resulted in over 3,000 fatalities and thousands of injuries across Lebanon. Israeli military spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari stated that Israeli forces had struck hundreds of targets within Lebanon, including storage and operational sites linked to Hezbollah. Beirut’s southern suburbs, known as Dahiyeh, also faced several airstrikes as the Israeli military issued evacuation alerts in the region.
The ongoing conflict has led to widespread displacement, with Lebanese authorities reporting that more than one million people have been forced from their homes.