Early Tuesday morning, an Israeli missile assault targeted a Hezbollah arms cache in Syria, as reported by the Saudi channel Al-Hadath, citing The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
The strike resulted in casualties and fatalities in the surrounding area, according to the group. Additionally, the depot itself was completely destroyed in the attack.
According to N12, referencing undisclosed sources, the sophisticated armaments housed within the depot had been supplied by Iran and were destined for transfer to Hezbollah.
Syria’s defense ministry disclosed that Israel had launched missiles at several military installations near Damascus, causing varying degrees of material damage this week.
The Syrian ministry reported that their air defenses had successfully intercepted Israeli missiles, downing a number of them, though this report has not been confirmed.
Maariv, citing unconfirmed reports, also noted that the strikes targeted military structures in the al-Kalmon region.
Throughout Syria’s enduring 12-year conflict, Iran has remained a steadfast supporter of President Bashar al-Assad. Its steadfast backing for Damascus and the Lebanese Hezbollah has prompted recurrent Israeli airstrikes, aimed at curtailing Tehran’s military influence beyond its borders.
These airstrikes have seen a surge in frequency amidst escalating tensions in the region following the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7. Since December, suspected Israeli strikes in Syria have resulted in the deaths of over half a dozen Iranian Revolutionary Guards officers.
As a consequence, the Guards have begun to reduce the presence of their senior officers in Syria and have devised plans to rely more heavily on allied Shi’ite militias to maintain their influence in the region, as per a Reuters report from February. The ongoing conflict along the northern border between Israel and Hezbollah has also led to concerns about war on a second front as the IDF continues operations in Gaza.