Damascus – The Israel Air Force (IAF) has allegedly launched a wave of airstrikes on Monday evening, according to reports of Syrian state media, on targets in central and coastal Syria.
The attacks purportedly struck targets in the cities of Homs, Latakia, and around the ancient city of Palmyra, prompting an immediate and vociferous reaction by the Foreign Ministry of Syria.
Video recordings seemingly depict a huge column of smoke and debris emerging from the area of Homs, an important city in central Syria. Likewise, explosions were also reported in the port city of Latakia on the Mediterranean coastline in Syria.
Although the reports are not confirmed by the Israeli military, the strikes are a continuation of a trend of recent Israeli military operations in Syria.
Response of the Syrian Foreign Ministry
A statement by the Syrian Foreign Ministry, quickly condemning the attacks as “a flagrant violation of international law and the principles of the UN Charter,” was released.
According to the ministry, the strikes pose a direct threat to the stability of Syria, as well as the region, and are themselves a part of a larger set of offensive escalations by Israel against Syria.
The ministry called on the international community “to assume its legal and moral responsibilities and take a clear and firm position that puts an end to these repeated attacks and ensures respect for Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity”
A History of Cross-Border Operations
In recent months, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have made several airstrikes and incursions into Syria. A Syrian military official said in late August that IDF troops had landed four helicopters on a military post south of Damascus, in Kiswa. These attacks are said to be directed to attack weapons supplied by Iran to the now ousted Assad regime that were amassed in the region.
There was a sharp increase in such actions in July when there were conflicts between Syrian Druze and Bedouin tribes in the Sweida region. This has been a concern about the escalation of the conflict due to the intervention of the IDF in these internal conflicts.
The Israeli military action in Syria has increased since the start of the year. Although there is a long-standing policy of Israel of attacking targets supported by Iran within the country to prevent the delivery of sophisticated weaponry to groups such as Hezbollah, the recent rates of the attacks and their frequency have attracted special attention.
No Official Comment from the IDF
The Israeli military has not yet released a formal statement to confirm the airstrikes or to determine the targets. This silence is consistent with long-standing Israeli policy denying Israel publicly confirming or denying individual strikes in Syria.
Israeli officials have repeatedly asserted that they would not allow Iran to create a permanent army in Syria, and they would not allow the spread of the weapons that would be a threat to Israel.
