Israeli drone strikes near Damascus have reportedly resulted in the deaths of six Syrian soldiers, as stated by the Syrian government. Following the strikes on Tuesday and additional attacks on Wednesday, Syria’s foreign ministry condemned the actions as violations of international law and breaches of its sovereignty. Various media outlets have reported that Israeli forces also conducted an airborne operation at a former military site in the vicinity, although details about the nature and duration of this operation remain unclear.
The Israeli military has refrained from commenting on these foreign reports. However, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated on social media that military operations are ongoing “in all combat zones day and night for the security of Israel.” Historically, Israel has carried out numerous attacks in Syria, particularly following the downfall of former President Bashar al-Assad in 2011, asserting that these actions aim to prevent weapons from reaching extremist groups.
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Israel has conducted 95 attacks in Syria this year, including 85 airstrikes and 10 land operations. The recent strikes coincided with Syrian troops addressing “surveillance and eavesdropping devices” found near al-Kiswah, as reported by the Syrian Arab News Agency.
Details surrounding the airborne landing by Israeli forces remain sparse, with reports indicating that several Israeli aircraft launched multiple strikes followed by an airdrop operation. A Syrian military source claimed that a contingent of soldiers equipped for searches was on site for over two hours. Additional sources have indicated that the operation involved troop withdrawal shortly thereafter.
These developments occur amid ongoing deconfliction talks between the two nations. Previously, in July, Israel targeted Syrian government forces in the south during a period of civil unrest, with the Israeli Prime Minister claiming the aim was to prevent potential harm to Druze citizens, a community present in both Syria and Israel.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp37kdjk0n2o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss