Israeli aircraft have intensified their airstrikes on Hezbollah and Iranian targets in Syria, with recent raids hitting multiple sites in Kafr Sousse, in the Damascus countryside. Syrian air defenses responded to what the regime’s agency described as “hostile targets” in the skies over the area.
A Russian military source reported that one soldier was killed and three others injured during the attack on military sites in southern Syria and a residential building in Kafr Sousse. “A military member died and three others were injured as a result of an air attack launched by the Israeli enemy after midnight today,” the source said.
The Israeli attack, launched from the direction of the occupied Syrian Golan Heights, targeted several military sites and a residential building. Despite the density of the missiles, Assad’s air defenses managed to intercept and shoot down several of them, according to the source.
On Friday, the Israeli army announced it had bombed a Syrian regime military site in southern Syria on the evening of July 11, following a similar attack in the Golan Heights region. The army stated, “During hours last night, the IDF raided a military site in the Tasil area in southern Syria,” adding that the bombing was in response to a rocket fired towards the south of the Golan Heights.
Earlier in the week, an Israeli strike targeted the vicinity of Baniyas, a coastal city in northwestern Syria. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that it was the third Israeli strike on Baniyas and its surroundings this year. Two missiles targeted buildings, including an air defense battalion near Baniyas, causing a large fire.
In the most recent series of attacks, several members of the Syrian regime forces were killed and wounded in raids on Damascus and its countryside. Social media accounts circulated images and videos showing significant damage to a building in the Kafr Sousse neighborhood, with local media reporting widespread destruction.
Assad’s Ministry of Defense confirmed the attacks resulted in the death of one regime soldier and injuries to three others. The ministry reiterated that the raids originated from the occupied Syrian Golan Heights, targeting multiple military sites and a residential building in Kafr Sousse.
The latest escalation in Israeli airstrikes marks a significant increase in the frequency and intensity of attacks on Iranian and Hezbollah positions in Syria. The Israeli military often targets infrastructure and headquarters of Iran-backed armed groups deep within Syrian territory. Israel frequently responds to sources of attacks by Iranian-backed militias from southern Syria.
These attacks have continued despite a brief period of calm following a significant escalation when Israel bombed an Iranian consulate building in Damascus’s Mezzeh district. In response, Iran launched a barrage of missiles and drones towards Israel, which did not reach their targets.
Since early May, Israeli attacks have resumed with a focus on Iranian military personnel and infrastructure in Syrian provinces, including Homs and Damascus. On June 10, Reuters reported, citing regional officials, diplomats, and Syrian officers, that Israel had intensified covert strikes in Syria against weapon sites, supply routes, and leaders linked to Iran in preparation for a potential broader conflict with Hezbollah, Iran’s main ally in Lebanon.
Most recently, on June 27, Israeli warplanes targeted military sites in the eastern countryside of As-Suwayda province and other sites around Damascus, further escalating tensions in the region. The Israeli Defense Forces have not officially claimed responsibility for these latest attacks, but their media outlets, including Yedioth Ahronoth, have briefly mentioned the explosions, citing opposition sources. As the situation develops, it remains to be seen how this escalation will impact the already volatile dynamics in the region.
