At least two people were killed and 19 others injured in Israeli airstrikes on Syria’s southern province of Deraa, Al Jazeera reported, citing Syria’s state news agency SANA.
The Israeli military confirmed the strikes, stating that it targeted military sites containing weapons belonging to the forces of ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
The Israeli army issued a statement saying, “The military is currently striking military targets in southern Syria, including command centres and military sites containing weapons and military vehicles belonging to the old Syrian regime.” The statement added that these “military assets” posed “a threat to the State of Israel.”
Further reinforcing its stance, the Israeli army declared, “We will not allow the presence of military threats in southern Syria and will operate against it.”
This is not the first time Israel has carried out strikes in the Deraa province, as the area has previously been targeted due to the presence of military assets.
Israeli Strike on Palestinian Islamic Jihad Command Centre in Damascus
Earlier this week, the Israeli Air Force (IAF) conducted an airstrike on a command centre of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) in Damascus, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated.
The IDF claimed that the command centre was used to “plan and direct terrorist activities” by the PIJ against Israel.
“The IAF conducted an intelligence-based strike on a terrorist command centre belonging to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror organisation in Damascus. The command centre was used to plan and direct terrorist activities by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad against the State of Israel,” the IDF said in a post on X.
The attack, executed with two missiles, killed at least one person, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, as per Al Jazeera.
Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz reaffirmed Israel’s security stance, stating, “The attack shows Israel will not allow Syria to become a threat to the state of Israel. There will be no immunity for Islamic terrorism against Israel – whether in Damascus or anywhere else,” Al Jazeera reported.