Israeli strikes kill four, injure 15 in Syria’s Hama province
Shafaq News/ Four people were killed and 15 others wounded on Monday in Israeli airstrikes targeting the outskirts of Masyaf, in western Hama province, according to Syrian media reports.
The attack triggered a massive fire in the Hayr Abbas area, along the Wadi al-Oyoun road, as a result of the strikes, with local Syrian sources describing the strikes as the most extensive and intense attacks Syria has witnessed in recent years.
Earlier, Syria's state news agency, SANA, stated that the country's air defenses "responded to an aggression targeting several points in the central region" following reports of explosions in the same area.
Sources reported by Israeli media that Israeli aircraft carried out at least 15 airstrikes in two phases.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that the Israeli strikes targeted locations hosting members of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Over the years, Israel has conducted dozens of airstrikes in Syria, primarily targeting Iranian-aligned militias that have gained ground amidst the security vacuum left by the weakening central authority during Syria’s ongoing conflict, which erupted in 2011.
Since 2017, Israel has launched over 400 airstrikes as part of its "war between wars" strategy, aiming to curb Iran’s military entrenchment. However, October 7, 2023, marked a turning point in that strategy, with Israel launching over 180 strikes in Syria since then, a significant increase compared to previous years, according to a recent report by The Wall Street Journal.
Israeli attacks on Syrian territory have intensified in 2024, with the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights documenting 64 instances of Israeli strikes since the start of the year. Of these, 47 were aerial assaults, and 17 were ground-based attacks.
The strikes resulted in the destruction or damage of approximately 138 targets, including weapons depots, headquarters, military posts, and vehicles.
The Observatory reported that these strikes led to the deaths of 191 military personnel and injured 125 others. The fatalities included:
- 24 members of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)
- 38 fighters from Lebanon’s Hezbollah
- 18 Iraqi nationals
- 48 Syrian members of Iran-aligned militias
- 17 non-Syrian members of Iranian militias
- 42 Syrian regime forces
- Four unidentified individuals killed in the recent Masyaf strike
Additionally, 20 civilians, including a child and four women, were killed in the Israeli strikes, with 36 others wounded. Among the civilian fatalities were Iranian-affiliated businessman Bara Qatirji and his cousin.
The Observatory provided a breakdown of the targeted areas:
- 24 strikes in Damascus and its outskirts
- 16 in Daraa
- 10 in Homs
- Six in Quneitra
- Three in Tartus
- One in Deir Ezzor
- Two in Aleppo
- Four in Hama
