Israel strikes Hezbollah weapon stores in Syria

Israeli airstrikes targeted warehouses in Syria believed to be storing arms for the Lebanese group Hezbollah on Tuesday, according to reports from a war monitoring group. These strikes came amid claims from a Syrian military official that their air defenses had managed to intercept several missiles.

Israel has conducted numerous airstrikes in Syria following the outbreak of its civil war in 2011, aiming at forces backed by Iran, including Hezbollah, as well as Syrian military sites. The frequency of these airstrikes has escalated following the onset of hostilities between Israel and Hamas, an ally of Hezbollah, on October 7.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the recent airstrikes near Damascus resulted in the destruction of weaponry and ammunition, leading to secondary explosions and fires.

Syrian state media cited a military source who referred to the Israeli airstrikes as an “air aggression” against multiple military locations around Damascus, claiming that their air defenses managed to down several of the missiles.

The Observatory noted that this was the second instance of such strikes within a span of two days, with previous raids targeting a weapons depot associated with Hezbollah and another location near Damascus.

Additionally, an Israeli strike earlier in the month reportedly resulted in the deaths of an Iranian Revolutionary Guard and two others in Banias along Syria’s Mediterranean coast.

Last week, the Israeli military disclosed that it had targeted approximately 4,500 Hezbollah sites in Lebanon and Syria over the last five months. While Israel seldom provides details on specific airstrikes, it has consistently stated its intent to prevent Iran from strengthening its foothold in Syria.