Israeli raid in Syria targets a house where members of Iranian militias reside
The Syrian side confirms that the missile strike was carried out from the Mediterranean Sea or above Lebanese airspace
An Israeli strike targeted a house where members of Iranian militias were residing in the province of Banias in western Syria, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, amid ongoing Israeli attacks in Syrian territory, targeting armed groups loyal to Tehran and the Hezbollah group.
Rami Abdel Rahman, director of the Observatory, stated that the house was completely destroyed, but without specifying the number of casualties and injuries resulting from the attack, which occurred amidst unprecedented tension in the region due to the aftermath of the war in Gaza.
The Islamic Republic News Agency reported the killing of a member of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Navy who was working as a military advisor in Syria, as a result of the Israeli raid.
Other Iranian media reports mentioned the killing of Reza Zarei along with two fighters from the Lebanese Hezbollah group supported by Iran.
Medical sources in Tartous province, western Syria, had previously stated that at least three people were killed and more than 7 others injured in an Israeli strike targeting a farm near the city of Banias on the west coast of the country, confirming that “two of the wounded are in critical condition due to the destruction of large parts of the building.”
The same sources did not identify the individuals killed or injured, but other sources indicated that Israel had carried out an attack with three missiles on a farm located on the outskirts of the village of Btrayya, on the road between Ras al-Nabaa and al-Murqab, near the city of Banias in the countryside of Tartous.
They added that the competent Syrian authorities were evaluating the situation of the place targeted by Israel and that the missile strike may have been carried out from the Mediterranean Sea or above Lebanese airspace.
Syrian media have not yet announced the target of the attack, but pages on social media claimed that the targeted building housed non-local figures, likely Iraqis or Iranians.
Israel conducted strikes Wednesday evening against targets near Damascus, according to the Syrian Ministry of Defense, while the Observatory for Human Rights reported that sites belonging to pro-Iranian groups, including Hezbollah, were targeted, resulting in two deaths among the fighters.
Since the start of the civil war in Syria in 2011, Israel has carried out hundreds of airstrikes against its northern neighbor, primarily targeting pro-Iranian forces, including the Lebanese Hezbollah and the Syrian army.
The strikes intensified since the start of the war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas about five months ago. Israel rarely comments on specific strikes, but has repeatedly stated that it will not allow Iran to consolidate its military presence in Syria.
Iran is a major supporter of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the ongoing Syrian conflict. Its support for Damascus and the Lebanese Hezbollah has led Israel to carry out repeated airstrikes to curb Iran’s military power outside its borders.
Iran, supportive of Hamas, seeks to stay out of the conflict even as it supports groups involved in the battle from Lebanon, Yemen, Iraq, and Syria, in what is known as the “axis of resistance” hostile to Israel and American interests.
Although Israel does not acknowledge the attacks it carries out in Syria, it insists it will continue to target headquarters of Palestinian factions, Hezbollah, and groups affiliated with the Revolutionary Guards in Damascus and its surroundings.
