Israel strikes key targets in Syria following Al-Assad's Fall

Shafaq News/ On Sunday, Israel launched a series of airstrikes on strategic locations in Syria, targeting a major security complex and missile research center in Damascus's Kafr Sousa district, as well as military sites in southern Syria, according to regional security sources cited by Reuters.

The Kafr Sousa strikes reportedly hit a complex long associated with Iranian-backed operations, where Iranian scientists had previously been accused of missile development.

Additional strikes targeted the Mazzeh district in Damascus and the Khalkhala air base in southern Syria, which the Syrian army had evacuated overnight.

In Suweida, six airstrikes hit the main air base, believed to house a large stockpile of rockets and missiles left by Syrian troops, according to sources.

The Israeli government has not commented on the reported strikes.

The attacks follow the rapid overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad’s government, an event that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described as "historic."

Netanyahu said the fall of al-Assad was partly a result of pressure Israel exerted on al-Assad’s allies, including Iran and Hezbollah.

"We will closely follow developments. We will do what is necessary to protect our border and protect our security," Netanyahu said in a statement.

Israel has long been concerned about the presence of Iranian forces and Hezbollah fighters in Syria, viewing them as direct threats to its security. The fall of Assad represents one of the most significant strategic changes in the Middle East in recent years, with ripple effects expected across the region.