Tuesday night, alleged Israeli airstrikes over the central city of Homs and its countryside left a devastating impact, claiming the lives of civilians and causing significant material damage. The Syrian state news agency, SANA, close to the Assad regime, reported that the strikes resulted in casualties and destruction of both private and public property. This alleged attack, the first of its kind to hit the city, has sparked renewed tensions in the already volatile Middle East region.
According to Syrian regime media, the raid targeted a house on Hamra Street in the heart of Homs, claiming the lives of seven individuals, and injuring 13 civilians. Among the victims were Ahmed, Abdul Rahman Al-Saeedi, Anas Ibo, Abdul-Jabbar Al-Sayyid, Nabila Raslan, and Muhammad Hassan Mosuli. The strikes also reportedly targeted the Water Resources Directorate’s garage, the Shayrat Air Force Base, and farms in the Al-Waer neighborhood. Additionally, reports from special sources for Syria TV indicated that the strikes caused casualties in the Al-Qurnah area, leading to further loss of life.
Jets, believed to belong to Israel, were said to have struck the Syrian city and countryside from over the Mediterranean Sea near the Lebanese coastal city of Tripoli. While the Syrian military condemned the attacks, Israel has not provided an immediate comment on the matter. The strikes occurred amidst escalating tensions in the region, including the Israeli-Gaza conflict and a recent drone attack near the Syrian border that resulted in casualties among US troops.
The British-based war monitor, the Syrian Observatory for Humanitarian Rights (SOHR), reported that at least nine explosions were heard in Homs and its outskirts, where the Lebanese Hezbollah militant group, supporting the Syrian government, is reportedly present. The Observatory also stated that the strikes resulted in the deaths of at least six civilians, including a woman and a child, as well as two militants from Hezbollah, which Hezbollah later confirmed.
Israel has been known to conduct occasional attacks on Iranian-backed groups and military posts in Syria. While Israel rarely acknowledges its actions in Syria, it has stated that its targets include bases of Iran-allied militant groups, such as Hezbollah, which has been providing support to the forces of Assad. The ongoing conflict in Syria has seen Israel carry out hundreds of strikes on targets inside government-controlled areas in recent years.
