Israeli Airstrikes Intensify Across Syria Amid Regional Outcry
On Friday, Israeli military operations escalated across Syria, with airstrikes reported in the capital Damascus and several other regions. Syrian media and monitoring groups noted an increase in both air and drone strikes.
In the town of Kanaker, located in rural Damascus, a drone strike attributed to Israel reportedly killed four people, according to the Syrian newspaper Al-Watan. Additionally, at least ten airstrikes targeted areas surrounding the eastern suburb of Harasta, including a military site near the Harasta Military Hospital, as reported by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Syria’s state broadcaster, Al-Ikhbariyah, stated that the airstrikes resulted in significant material damage. While there were no confirmed fatalities as of Friday evening, ambulance and civil defense teams were dispatched to the affected areas.
Further south, Israeli airstrikes hit the outskirts of the towns of Mothbeen and Izraa in Daraa Province. In central Syria, an airstrike targeted the outskirts of the village of Shahta in Hama Province on Friday night, injuring four people, according to local media reports.
Israeli reconnaissance aircraft were also observed over southern and central parts of Syria, including the provinces of Daraa, Homs, and Hama. This suggests a coordinated campaign involving multiple regions.
Israel’s national broadcaster, KAN, reported that the Israeli government had approved additional targets in Syria, focusing on military installations and sites associated with the current Syrian authorities. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz reportedly authorized these new targets.
Regional Condemnation
The Arab League condemned the Israeli airstrikes, describing them as a “dangerous escalation” and a violation of Syria’s sovereignty. In a statement, the organization emphasized that the attacks aimed to destabilize the region and interfere in Syria’s internal affairs. The Arab League called on the United Nations Security Council to intervene, warning that such actions could “ignite the situation in the region.”
Iraq also voiced strong opposition to the strikes. The Iraqi Foreign Ministry expressed its “categorical rejection of all repeated Israeli attacks that violate Syria’s sovereignty and threaten its security and stability.”
The escalation of military activity in Syria raises concerns about increasing tensions in the Middle East, with potential implications for regional peace and security.
