Israeli Airstrikes on Syrian Town Kill 36, Target Iran-Backed Militias
At least 36 people were killed and over 50 injured in Israeli airstrikes on residential areas and an industrial zone in the central Syrian town of Palmyra, according to Syrian state media on Wednesday.
The strikes, launched at approximately 1:30 p.m. local time from the al-Tanf area, targeted multiple locations in the ancient desert city, according to a military source cited by the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA).
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) war monitor, initially reported a higher death toll of 41, including 22 foreign nationals and seven Syrians.
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SOHR said Israeli jets struck three sites, including a weapons depot and a meeting of leaders from Iran-backed militias, including Lebanese Hezbollah and other Iraqi Shiite paramilitaries. The area is home to families of Iranian-backed fighters, which likely affected the high casualty count.
Videos on social media showed thick black smoke rising from the sites, while SANA said the attack marked one of the deadliest Israeli strikes in Syria in recent years.
Israel’s escalating military operations in Syria, including a special operation revealed earlier this month, reflect its broader strategy to counter Iran’s military foothold in the country since war in Gaza threw the region into chaos. Iran’s support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and proxy groups like Hezbollah were instrumental in the longtime dictator regaining control during the civil war.
Both Assad and Tehran back Hamas, aligning them with Israel’s adversaries in Gaza and Lebanon and last week, Israel confirmed strikes in Damascus targeting Palestinian Islamic Jihad, which killed 15 people.
