Israel Attacks Iranian Warehouses South of Damascus

Syrian state television reported Wednesday morning on an attack by the Israeli Air Force in the Damascus area. The Syrian army said that a Syrian soldier was seriously injured as a result of the attack and that damages were caused. The army’s statement said that around 1:05 AM, the Israeli Air Force attacked several positions in the southwest of the capital from the direction of the Golan Heights and that the Syrian anti-aircraft system was activated and intercepted some of the missiles that were launched at the targets.

 

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that overnight Wednesday, for the 18th time this year, Israel attacked targets in Syria, this time striking warehouses belonging to Iranian militias south and southwest of the capital Damascus.

“Very violent explosions were heard in the capital, Damascus, and its surroundings, after midnight between Tuesday and Wednesday, caused by a new Israeli targeting of Syrian lands,” SOHR reported.

According to the group’s sources, “the Israeli strikes targeted the vicinity of Damascus International Airport and the Al-Kiswah area, southwest of the capital. Warehouses belonging to the Iranian militias were destroyed, and violent explosions were heard as a result, so that the residents of Damascus believed that the bombing had reached the center of the capital.”

“Fire broke out in the targeted warehouses, and the sounds of ambulances and gunfire were heard heading towards the targeted sites. The strikes resulted in injuries, including a member of the regime forces, as well as militia deaths. The regime’s air defenses tried to counter the attack, but the Israeli missiles reached their targets,” according to the report.

The Syrian Observatory has counted 18 Israeli attacks in Syrian territory since the start of 2023, 14 by air and 4 by artillery. “These strikes resulted in the injury and destruction of about 41 targets, including weapons and ammunition depots, headquarters, centers, and mechanisms. The strikes killed 48 soldiers, in addition to injuring 37 others.”

18 of the dead belonged to regime forces and included officers.

22 belonged to Iran’s proxy militias.

5 were members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard militia.

3 belonged to Hezbollah.

One male and one female non-combatants were killed in the attacks, and some civilians were wounded

The targets were distributed as follows: 7 in Damascus and its countryside, 5 in Quneitra, 1 in Hama, 1 in Tartous, 3 in Aleppo, 3 in As-Suwayda, 2 in Daraa, and 2 for Homs.


The strikes reportedly targeted a Syrian Army facility used by Iranian and Iran-backed forces south of Damascus.

A streak of light is seen in the night sky in the vicinity of the Syrian capital Damascus during what Syrian authorities said was an Israeli air strike, in this handout released by state news agency SANA on February 24, 2020. (photo credit: SANA/HANDOUT VIA REUTERS)
A streak of light is seen in the night sky in the vicinity of the Syrian capital Damascus during what Syrian authorities said was an Israeli air strike, in this handout released by state news agency SANA on February 24, 2020.
(photo credit: SANA/HANDOUT VIA REUTERS)

A Syrian soldier was seriously injured in alleged Israeli airstrikes that targeted sites near Damascus early Wednesday morning, according to Syrian state news agency SANA.

 

 

A military source told SANA that Israeli aircraft carried out the strikes from the direction of the Golan Heights and targeted a number of sites southwest of Damascus.

The Capital Voice news site reported that explosions were heard in the area of the headquarters of the Syrian Army’s 1st Division in al-Kiswah, south of Damascus, which is used by Iranian and Iran-backed forces as well. A fire broke out at the headquarters amid the strikes, according to the report.

 

 

A base used by Iran was reportedly built in the al-Kiswah area in 2017 and alleged Israeli strikes have targeted the area repeatedly in recent years.

  F-35's arrive in Israel after being purchased from Lockheed Martin, November 13, 2022 (credit: LOCKHEED MARTIN)F-35’s arrive in Israel after being purchased from Lockheed Martin, November 13, 2022 (credit: LOCKHEED MARTIN)

Shortly before the airstrikes, a flight operated by Iran’s Mahan Air landed at Damascus International Airport, according to flight tracking sites.

Mahan Air has been sanctioned by the US Treasury Department as it is used by Iran to transport weapons, equipment and personnel throughout the region and the world.

Strikes come two weeks after last alleged Israeli strikes in Syria

The airstrikes on Wednesday come two weeks after the last reported alleged Israeli airstrikes in Syria in late May, when strikes reportedly targeted sites in the Damascus area.

The Russian Center for Reconciliation of the Opposing Parties in Syria, part of Russia’s Defense Ministry reported at the time that two warehouses were damaged in those strikes and no injuries were caused.

According to the Alma Research and Education Center, those strikes targeted sites north of Damascus near Hafir Fawqa and the Alhama neighborhood, estimating that some of the targets were Syrian air defense batteries.

The strikes are also the first since the IDF’s large-scale “Firm Hand” exercise, which simulated  a multi-front conflict in the air, at sea, on land and in the fields of cyber and the electromagnetic spectrum.