At around 1:20am local time (22:20 GMT), the ministry of defense and state media announced that Israel had undertaken air raids on targets in the Damascus vicinity, with loud explosions heard over the capital city. On Thursday morning, Syrian air defenses were reportedly “confronting hostile targets,” according to the state news agency SANA. Syrian state television, citing a military source, reported that two troops were injured and “some material damage” was done when Israel fired “a number of missiles” from the Golan Heights at the area around Damascus. A number of the missiles were “shot down” after being met by Syrian air defenses, the source said.
Many sites in the region of Damascus were hit by Israeli airstrikes at about 1:30 a.m. (10:20 GMT), according to a statement released by Syria’s defense ministry. The ministry said two troops were hurt and property was destroyed, but gave no further information on the objectives. Israel has launched hundreds of airstrikes against targets inside government-controlled areas of Syria over the past few years. This month alone, Israeli troops have launched three attacks against Aleppo International Airport, including two missile strikes. Throughout the Syrian civil war that broke out in 2011, Israel has dispatched hundreds of warriors to back President Bashar al-Assad. Nevertheless, Israel seldom admits that it is responsible for these operations, which it claims are intended at facilities of Iran-allied armed organizations like Lebanon’s Hezbollah. The airport in Aleppo was closed for two days last week after an Israeli airstrike. Since a 7.8 earthquake slammed southern Turkey and northern Syria on February 6, killing more than 50,000 people, including more than 6,000 in Syria, Aleppo International Airport has been a major conduit for the supply of humanitarian goods into the country.
The Israeli missile attacks last week, according to an organization keeping tabs on the Syrian civil war, were successful in destroying a suspected munitions storage used by Iran-backed rebels at Aleppo airport. On March 7, three persons were murdered and flights were grounded for three days due to an Israeli air assault on the airport. Israeli airplanes have also targeted Syrian seaports and other essential infrastructure. According to Israeli claims, the goal of these operations is to stop Iran-backed armed factions in Syria from acquiring weapons. Half of Syria’s pre-war population has been displaced, and almost half have lost their lives in the country’s ongoing civil conflict.
