Israel Attacks Syria And Plans To Make Beirut "Look Like Gaza" (X image (file) @siadevinci)
At least five Syrians were killed and 19 injured in Israeli attack. The attack also caused material damage near the city of Masyaf, west of Hema, said SANA news agency. As per the report, the Syrian air defences “confronted” an aggression that targeted several points in the region. The director of the public hospital in Masyaf told the news agency that the casualties were civilians.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based war monitor, said one of the strikes targeted a scientific research centre in Maysaf and other sites where Iranian militias and experts are stationed to “develop weapons in Syria”.
The Syrian military did not comment immediately. An unidentified security official told SANA that Israel launched an “aerial aggression” from Lebanese airspace against several Syrian military instalments. The source also added that Syrian air defences confronted and shot down some of the missiles.
Also Read: Where Does Hezbollah-Israel Conflict Stands Now
The Israeli airstrikes against Syrian were originated from Lebanon, likely to avoid Syrian airspace, where multiple regional and international forces, including Russian and the United States operate. The Israeli military does not comment on the attack.
Israel regularly carried out air rides during the 13 years of civil war in Syria, and mainly targeted Iran-linked sites.
The latest attack came amidst fragile regional tension. The Iranian official still pledges to avenge the assassination of Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran. However, 40 days into the assassination, no attack from Iran against Israel has materialised yet. The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), Mohsen Chizari, said Tehran will respond “in due time”.
Hezbollah, the Iran-aligned militant group of Lebanon, also vowed to attack Israel for the assassination of its commander Fuad Shukur. On August 25, Hezbollah attacked Israel. Tel Aviv said it thwarted the operation with a preemptive attack. Hezbollah denied the claim and said it successfully hit an Israeli military intelligence site near Tel Aviv.
Also Read: What Is Hezbollah – How Formidable Is The Lebanese Group?
Benny Gantz, the head of Israel’s National Unity alliance opposition said that Israel’s army had crossed a “decisive point” in Gaza and “should concentrate” on its northern border with Lebanon.
Speaking to AFP news agency, Gantz said, “the story of Hamas is old news…the story of Iran and its proxies all around the area and what they are trying to do is the real issue”.
A legislator from Israel President Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party, Nissim Vaturi, has said that “it’s a matter of days” before the tension between Israel and Hezbollah develops into a full-blown war. Speaking to Israel’s Kan Public broadcaster, he laid out plan for for preemptive aerial bombardment lasting for up to five days followed by a ground invasion.
Vaturi also claimed that Netanyahu shared his view. “Dahiyeh will look like Gaza, there is no other way,” he added, referring to the southern suburb of Beirut. The region is home to thousands of people including the supporters of Hezbollah.
