Sep 1, 2020
The Syrian government reported that Israel struck southern Syria late Monday evening local time.
Israel fired missiles and the Syrian military deployed its air defense systems, the state-run SANA reported. The head of the Muraselon news outlet, which is pro-Syrian government, tweeted a video of an aerial explosion in the countryside of the capital Damascus. SANA shared a similar video, saying only that it was from southern Syria. Damascus is in the south.
The pro-opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the Israeli missiles targeted military sites south of Damascus.
Israel rarely comments on its military actions abroad, but it is suspected of carrying out regular airstrikes on Iranian targets in Syria. Iranian forces fight alongside the Syrian government and the Lebanese group Hezbollah in Syria. Hezbollah in particular is seen by Israel as a threat, and the two have clashed near their border in recent weeks.
In late June, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would not allow Iran to keep its military in Syria. Israeli politicians do not make statements beyond that regarding their suspected actions in Syria.
