3 yıl önce

Civilian deaths after Israeli air strikes near Syria's Damascus

It was the first Israeli attack inside Syria since Russia, a key backer of regime's head Bashar al Assad, invaded Ukraine on February 24.

AFP

Since civil war broke out in Syria in 2011, Israel has carried out hundreds of air strikes inside the country.

Israel has fired several missiles toward Syrian regime's military positions near the capital of Damascus, killing two civilians and causing material damage.

Syrian regime's defence ministry said Israeli warplanes flying over neighbouring Lebanon fired the missiles toward Syria on Monday, adding that the regime's air defences shot down most of the missiles.

It gave no further details or say how the civilians were killed.

It was the first Israeli attack inside Syria since Russia, a key backer of regime's head Bashar al Assad, invaded Ukraine on February 24.

Israel did not comment on the attack and rarely acknowledges such operations.

But it has launched hundreds of strikes on targets inside the regime-controlled parts of Syria during its past decade of civil war.

Israel, Russia security coordination

Israel relies on Russia for security coordination in Syria, where Russia has a strong military presence, pushing Israel's prime minister to search for middle ground between Russia and Ukraine.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has also assumed the unlikely role of mediator between Russia and Ukraine.

On February 24, three soldiers of the Syrian regime were killed in an Israeli rocket attack in the vicinity of Damascus.

Israel says that its strikes inside Syria target bases of Iran-allied groups, such as Lebanon’s Hezbollah, that fight on the side of Assad’s forces.