Local media report two killed in Israeli air attack on Damascus
Syrian state media say Tuesday’s attack was the fourth of its kind in a week as Israel targets Iranian-backed groups.
Syrian state media have reported an Israeli airstrike in the capital Damascus, the latest in a series of attacks in recent days.
Two civilians were killed in the attack early Tuesday morning, state news agency SANA reported, citing military sources. It also noted property damage in the area.
Israeli authorities have not commented on the attack. But SANA said Syrian air defenses had intercepted “hostile targets” over Damascus, following an “enemy” airstrike at about 00:15 local time Tuesday (21:15 GMT Monday).
Israel has carried out hundreds of attacks in government-controlled parts of Syria, targeting what it considers Iranian-backed militant groups. Iran has served as a close ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad during the country’s years of civil war.
AD activity, #Damascus #Syria 🇸🇾 pic.twitter.com/WOXleZyqhb
— Aleph א (@no_itsmyturn) April 3, 2023
Monday’s attack was the fourth of its kind in recent days, with previous attacks hitting Damascus and central Homs province.
Israeli airstrikes in Homs early Sunday morning injured five soldiers, according to the Syrian Defense Ministry. The attacks followed an attack near Damascus last Friday that reportedly killed two Iranian military advisers.
Videos have surfaced on social media showing explosions and air defense activity lighting up the skies over Damascus in the early hours of Tuesday.
The Airwars group, which follows civilian victims of air strikes in numerous conflicts, estimates Israeli strikes in Syria have killed between 17 and 45 civilians since 2013.
“Israel’s recent intervention in Syria began in January 2013, when its plane hit a convoy carrying weapons from Syria to Hezbollah militants,” the group says on its website.
“Since that date, Israel has carried out hundreds of stated and undeclared attacks against Iranian-affiliated militant groups.”