Syria’s defense ministry reported that an Israeli air strike on Wednesday resulted in the death of a girl and the injury of 10 civilians in the coastal city of Baniyas. The ministry stated that the attack targeted a central site and a residential building, with casualties including both fatalities and injuries among civilians.
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitor, the strike led to the death of the girl and injuries to 20 civilians. The monitor initially reported that the girl died due to explosions from an Israeli missile and a Syrian air defense missile that fell on the coast.
In a separate incident, the Observatory reported that another Israeli strike in central Syria killed three Syrian fighters associated with Lebanon’s Hezbollah group. This strike targeted a military site in the eastern countryside of Homs.
Earlier reports from state media indicated that Syrian air defenses intercepted Israeli “targets” over central Syria. The Observatory also noted Israeli strikes on military sites, causing plumes of smoke to rise in the eastern countryside of Homs, an area known to house Iran-backed groups including Hezbollah.
This latest escalation follows an Israeli drone strike in central Syria over the weekend, which resulted in the deaths of two Hezbollah fighters near the Lebanese border. Israel has conducted numerous strikes in Syria since the start of the civil war in 2011, primarily targeting army positions and Iran-backed fighters, including those from Hezbollah.
The conflict in Syria, now in its eleventh year, has claimed over half a million lives and displaced millions more. Israel has consistently stated its opposition to Iran’s expanding presence in Syria, leading to frequent clashes and airstrikes in the region.
Sources By Agencies
