5 may 2020
The Syrian state news agency SANA said the Syrian air defenses last night thwarted an Israeli missile attack on a research center in the northwestern province of Aleppo.
According to SANA, an Israeli warplane attacked military depots in Safirah area in the eastern Aleppo countryside. Syrian air defenses were also activated in response.
Efforts have started to assess the damage and losses that happened during the airstrikes, SANA added.
For years, the areas controlled by the Syrian regime have been under repeated Israeli attacks.
Syrian army says Israeli jets hit military outposts in Aleppo province
Syrian air defenses thwarted an Israeli missile attack on a research center and a military base in the northern province of Aleppo, Syrian state media said overnight Tuesday after the fifth such strike within the span of two weeks on suspected Iranian targets in the war-torn country.
The Syrian army said in a statement that Israel hit military barracks in the city of al-Safirah in the eastern Aleppo countryside. Earlier, state television had said a research center was targeted. The army said it was now assessing the damage caused by the strikes.
A regional intelligence source said Israel was stepping up raids in Syria at a time when world attention and the region, including Syria, were distracted by the coronavirus pandemic.
An Israeli army spokeswoman declined to comment on the report.
Western intelligence sources say Iranian-backed militias have long been entrenched in Aleppo province where they have bases and a command center and installed advanced weapons, part of a growing presence across government-controlled Syria.
The Scientific Studies and Research Center is one of several facilities where Western intelligence and opposition sources suspect Syria, with the help of Iranian researchers, works on developing chemical weapons they accuse Syria of having used against civilians in rebel-held areas.
Damascus and its ally, Moscow, deny they have used chemical weapons that have killed hundreds of civilians in the course of the nine-year conflict and blame jihadist rebels for such attacks.
Israel has previously struck several military research facilities believed to have been centers for chemical and biological weapons.
Israeli helicopters fired several rockets from the Golan Heights on targets inside southern Syria known to be a base for Lebanon's Hezbollah terror group, intelligence sources said.
The Syrian government does not say Iranian bases are targeted when it announces details of Israeli raids.
Major blasts in an ammunition depot near Homs city on the same day were also believed to be from an Israeli strike, a war monitor and intelligence sources said.
Israel has acknowledged in recent years it has conducted many raids inside Syria since the start of the civil war in 2011 where it sees Iran's presence as a strategic threat.
Regional intelligence sources say that Israel's escalating strikes on Syria are part of a shadow war sanctioned by Washington and part of the anti-Iran policy that has undermined in the last two years Iran's extensive military power without triggering a major escalation.
Defense Minister Naftali Bennett told Israeli media last week that Israel would step up its campaign against Iran in Syria.
Separately, a regional intelligence source said Israeli jets are believed to have hit Iranian-backed militias entrenched in the border town of Albukamal near the border with Iraq where Iraqi Shi'ite paramilitary groups have a strong foothold.
The U.S. military last January struck Iran-backed militia groups in areas in Iraq and Syria along that border area in what U.S. officials then said was a response to escalating provocations from Iran.
Iran's support, alongside Russia, has helped Syrian President Bashar al-Assad turn the tide against a military opposition that had seized large tracts of territory and sought to overthrow his authoritarian rule.
According to SANA, an Israeli warplane attacked military depots in Safirah area in the eastern Aleppo countryside. Syrian air defenses were also activated in response.
Efforts have started to assess the damage and losses that happened during the airstrikes, SANA added.
For years, the areas controlled by the Syrian regime have been under repeated Israeli attacks.
Syrian army says Israeli jets hit military outposts in Aleppo province
Syrian air defenses thwarted an Israeli missile attack on a research center and a military base in the northern province of Aleppo, Syrian state media said overnight Tuesday after the fifth such strike within the span of two weeks on suspected Iranian targets in the war-torn country.
The Syrian army said in a statement that Israel hit military barracks in the city of al-Safirah in the eastern Aleppo countryside. Earlier, state television had said a research center was targeted. The army said it was now assessing the damage caused by the strikes.
A regional intelligence source said Israel was stepping up raids in Syria at a time when world attention and the region, including Syria, were distracted by the coronavirus pandemic.
An Israeli army spokeswoman declined to comment on the report.
Western intelligence sources say Iranian-backed militias have long been entrenched in Aleppo province where they have bases and a command center and installed advanced weapons, part of a growing presence across government-controlled Syria.
The Scientific Studies and Research Center is one of several facilities where Western intelligence and opposition sources suspect Syria, with the help of Iranian researchers, works on developing chemical weapons they accuse Syria of having used against civilians in rebel-held areas.
Damascus and its ally, Moscow, deny they have used chemical weapons that have killed hundreds of civilians in the course of the nine-year conflict and blame jihadist rebels for such attacks.
Israel has previously struck several military research facilities believed to have been centers for chemical and biological weapons.
Israeli helicopters fired several rockets from the Golan Heights on targets inside southern Syria known to be a base for Lebanon's Hezbollah terror group, intelligence sources said.
The Syrian government does not say Iranian bases are targeted when it announces details of Israeli raids.
Major blasts in an ammunition depot near Homs city on the same day were also believed to be from an Israeli strike, a war monitor and intelligence sources said.
Israel has acknowledged in recent years it has conducted many raids inside Syria since the start of the civil war in 2011 where it sees Iran's presence as a strategic threat.
Regional intelligence sources say that Israel's escalating strikes on Syria are part of a shadow war sanctioned by Washington and part of the anti-Iran policy that has undermined in the last two years Iran's extensive military power without triggering a major escalation.
Defense Minister Naftali Bennett told Israeli media last week that Israel would step up its campaign against Iran in Syria.
Separately, a regional intelligence source said Israeli jets are believed to have hit Iranian-backed militias entrenched in the border town of Albukamal near the border with Iraq where Iraqi Shi'ite paramilitary groups have a strong foothold.
The U.S. military last January struck Iran-backed militia groups in areas in Iraq and Syria along that border area in what U.S. officials then said was a response to escalating provocations from Iran.
Iran's support, alongside Russia, has helped Syrian President Bashar al-Assad turn the tide against a military opposition that had seized large tracts of territory and sought to overthrow his authoritarian rule.
1 may 2020
Israel was stepping up its raids on pro-Iranian targets in Syria at a time when world attention and the region, including Syria, was distracted with tackling coronavirus, a regional intelligence source said; Israel regards Iran as its biggest threat
Israeli helicopters fired several rockets from the Golan Heights on targets inside southern Syria, Syrian state media reported on Friday, the latest in what intelligence sources say is an increase of strikes against Iranian-backed militias.
Opposition sources in the area said several militia posts near Quneitra were targeted in the attack, which reports said caused only material damage.
There was no immediate comment from the Israeli army.
Bases and convoys run by Lebanon’s Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia, which has a strong presence in the Syrian Golan Heights, have been hit by Israel in recent years.
Israel was stepping up its raids in Syria at a time when world attention and the region, including Syria, was distracted with tackling coronavirus, a regional intelligence source said.
Two weeks ago, an Israeli drone attack targeted a car carrying forces from Hezbollah in southern Syria along the border with Lebanon without causing casualties.
A few days later, Israel struck central Syria near the ancient city of Palmyra, in what regional intelligence sources said were Iranian-backed outposts and a command center.
Israel has acknowledged in recent years it had conducted many raids inside Syria since the start of the civil war in 2011.
After Syria announced last Monday it had intercepted airstrikes by Israel near the capital Damascus, Israeli defense minister Naftali Bennett told Israeli media that Israel would step up its campaign against Iran in Syria.
Bennett appeared to confirm Israel was behind that airstrike on what Western intelligence sources said were Iranian bases.
“We have moved from blocking Iran’s entrenchment in Syria to forcing it out of there, and we will not stop,” Bennett said in a statement.
“We will not allow more strategic threats to grow just across our borders without taking action, We will continue to take the fight to the enemy’s territory,” Bennett said.
The Syrian army later said Monday’s strike killed three Syrian civilians and injured several others from shrapnel that hit their homes. Israel says Iran’s military presence in Syria, where its militias are fighting alongside Syrian President Bashar al Assad’s forces, is a strategic threat and claims Tehran seeks a permanent presence along its northern borders.
The threat of direct confrontation between arch-enemies Israel and Iran has long simmered in Syria, with Israel regarding Iran as its biggest threat.
Assad has said Iranian forces are welcome to stay in Syria after years of military victories in which Iran and Russian have played a key role in bringing back most of the country under his control.
Israeli helicopters fired several rockets from the Golan Heights on targets inside southern Syria, Syrian state media reported on Friday, the latest in what intelligence sources say is an increase of strikes against Iranian-backed militias.
Opposition sources in the area said several militia posts near Quneitra were targeted in the attack, which reports said caused only material damage.
There was no immediate comment from the Israeli army.
Bases and convoys run by Lebanon’s Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia, which has a strong presence in the Syrian Golan Heights, have been hit by Israel in recent years.
Israel was stepping up its raids in Syria at a time when world attention and the region, including Syria, was distracted with tackling coronavirus, a regional intelligence source said.
Two weeks ago, an Israeli drone attack targeted a car carrying forces from Hezbollah in southern Syria along the border with Lebanon without causing casualties.
A few days later, Israel struck central Syria near the ancient city of Palmyra, in what regional intelligence sources said were Iranian-backed outposts and a command center.
Israel has acknowledged in recent years it had conducted many raids inside Syria since the start of the civil war in 2011.
After Syria announced last Monday it had intercepted airstrikes by Israel near the capital Damascus, Israeli defense minister Naftali Bennett told Israeli media that Israel would step up its campaign against Iran in Syria.
Bennett appeared to confirm Israel was behind that airstrike on what Western intelligence sources said were Iranian bases.
“We have moved from blocking Iran’s entrenchment in Syria to forcing it out of there, and we will not stop,” Bennett said in a statement.
“We will not allow more strategic threats to grow just across our borders without taking action, We will continue to take the fight to the enemy’s territory,” Bennett said.
The Syrian army later said Monday’s strike killed three Syrian civilians and injured several others from shrapnel that hit their homes. Israel says Iran’s military presence in Syria, where its militias are fighting alongside Syrian President Bashar al Assad’s forces, is a strategic threat and claims Tehran seeks a permanent presence along its northern borders.
The threat of direct confrontation between arch-enemies Israel and Iran has long simmered in Syria, with Israel regarding Iran as its biggest threat.
Assad has said Iranian forces are welcome to stay in Syria after years of military victories in which Iran and Russian have played a key role in bringing back most of the country under his control.
27 apr 2020
The alleged Israeli attack in the Damascus region overnight, in which four militants were killed, targeted military bases belonging to Iran, Hezbollah and other Tehran-backed militias, The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported Monday.
Meanwhile, the Syrian state news agency SANA reported that three civilians were also killed and four had been wounded, including a baby, by shrapnel from the missiles in the suburbs of Damascus.
Earlier, Sana reported that Syrian air defenses intercepted "hostile targets" over the capital of Damascus, shooting down all the missiles before they reached their targets.
SANA added that the air defense system had intercepted "Israeli aggression" coming from Lebanese airspace. Israel has also in the past used Lebanon's airspace to launch attacks on Syria.
The report comes exactly a week after another alleged Israeli strike in the city of Palmyra in eastern Homs province in central Syria.
A news flash on state media did not give any details of the aerial attack on the ancient city in eastern Homs where Iranian backed-militias are dug in on its outskirts according to Western intelligence sources.
The attack was the second in less than a month attributed to Israel, which has reportedly launched in recent years hundreds of attacks on Iranian-backed militias and their bases in Syria, where they have a large presence across the country.
Israel rarely confirms attacks and it did not comment on the latest missiles strike. Israel has said, however, that it has been behind a series of airstrikes mainly targeting Iranian and Lebanese Hezbollah forces in Syria that are alongside Syrian government forces.
Meanwhile, the Syrian state news agency SANA reported that three civilians were also killed and four had been wounded, including a baby, by shrapnel from the missiles in the suburbs of Damascus.
Earlier, Sana reported that Syrian air defenses intercepted "hostile targets" over the capital of Damascus, shooting down all the missiles before they reached their targets.
SANA added that the air defense system had intercepted "Israeli aggression" coming from Lebanese airspace. Israel has also in the past used Lebanon's airspace to launch attacks on Syria.
The report comes exactly a week after another alleged Israeli strike in the city of Palmyra in eastern Homs province in central Syria.
A news flash on state media did not give any details of the aerial attack on the ancient city in eastern Homs where Iranian backed-militias are dug in on its outskirts according to Western intelligence sources.
The attack was the second in less than a month attributed to Israel, which has reportedly launched in recent years hundreds of attacks on Iranian-backed militias and their bases in Syria, where they have a large presence across the country.
Israel rarely confirms attacks and it did not comment on the latest missiles strike. Israel has said, however, that it has been behind a series of airstrikes mainly targeting Iranian and Lebanese Hezbollah forces in Syria that are alongside Syrian government forces.
15 apr 2020
An Israeli drone targeted a car carrying forces from Iran-backed Hezbollah in Syria near the Lebanese border, a commander in the pro-Damascus regional alliance and a security source said.
The sources said there were no casualties, with the passengers escaping before the car was hit and destroyed.
Sky News Arabia reported the targeted vehicle was carrying a commander belonging to the Lebanese terror group.
Pictures from the scene of the attack showed the remains of the burned down vehicle covered by a doormat. This method of covering tacks is widely used by Hezbollah fighters in order to avoid being detected by spy drones.
Over the recent days, Israel has increased its presence in the Lebanese and Syrian airspace.
Hezbollah has not commented on the incident.
In the meantime, on Tuesday evening an Iranian military plane was detected flying over Iraq on its way to Tehran. The plane’s altitude and trajectory would indicate it was coming back from Damascus.
The sources said there were no casualties, with the passengers escaping before the car was hit and destroyed.
Sky News Arabia reported the targeted vehicle was carrying a commander belonging to the Lebanese terror group.
Pictures from the scene of the attack showed the remains of the burned down vehicle covered by a doormat. This method of covering tacks is widely used by Hezbollah fighters in order to avoid being detected by spy drones.
Over the recent days, Israel has increased its presence in the Lebanese and Syrian airspace.
Hezbollah has not commented on the incident.
In the meantime, on Tuesday evening an Iranian military plane was detected flying over Iraq on its way to Tehran. The plane’s altitude and trajectory would indicate it was coming back from Damascus.
14 mar 2020
Senior Hamas official Ra’fat Murra has denounced the call made by Samir Geagea, head of the Lebanese Forces (Christian political party), to isolate the Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon at the pretext of containing the Coronavirus, describing it as “reprehensible.”
“Such call by Geagea is useless and inconsistent with humanitarian and legal norms,” Murra said in Twitter remarks on Saturday.
“Geagea should have urged the Lebanese government and the UN to assume their responsibilities [towards refugee camps]. We have always warned against ignoring the refugee situation,” the Hamas official said.
On Friday, Geagea called for imposing a siege on the Palestinian camps in Lebanon and preventing their residents from entering or leaving as part of proposals he made to prevent the spread of Coronavirus.
“We must announce measures against the Palestinian camps and the Syrian presence in Lebanon through closing all camps and refusing to allow anyone to enter or leave them,” the Lebanese politician said.
“I wanted to be clear and frank because we should not use political and diplomatic languages or give preferential treatment these days, given that there are Lebanese who have to be alive,” Geagea added.
Geagea made his call despite there is no single reported case of Coronavirus among Palestinian refugees inside or outside their camps.
“Such call by Geagea is useless and inconsistent with humanitarian and legal norms,” Murra said in Twitter remarks on Saturday.
“Geagea should have urged the Lebanese government and the UN to assume their responsibilities [towards refugee camps]. We have always warned against ignoring the refugee situation,” the Hamas official said.
On Friday, Geagea called for imposing a siege on the Palestinian camps in Lebanon and preventing their residents from entering or leaving as part of proposals he made to prevent the spread of Coronavirus.
“We must announce measures against the Palestinian camps and the Syrian presence in Lebanon through closing all camps and refusing to allow anyone to enter or leave them,” the Lebanese politician said.
“I wanted to be clear and frank because we should not use political and diplomatic languages or give preferential treatment these days, given that there are Lebanese who have to be alive,” Geagea added.
Geagea made his call despite there is no single reported case of Coronavirus among Palestinian refugees inside or outside their camps.
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