A series of Israeli air strikes targeted multiple areas in central Syria late Sunday, causing significant casualties and damage. According to Syrian state media, the attacks resulted in the deaths of at least four people and injuries to thirteen others. The strikes also sparked fires and damaged infrastructure in the Hama province.
Damage and Casualties
The Syrian state news agency SANA reported that Syrian air defenses engaged the strikes, which targeted several locations in the central region. Among the affected areas was a highway in Hama province. The injured were taken to Masyaf National Hospital in western Hama. The exact status of the casualties—whether civilians or militants—remains unclear.
Targeted Sites and Israeli Operations
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a U.K.-based monitoring group, reported that one of the strikes hit a scientific research center in Maysaf. This center is believed to house Iranian militias and experts involved in weapon development. Additional strikes were reported around the coastal city of Tartous.
Ongoing Conflict and Israeli Stance
Israel frequently conducts air strikes in Syria, targeting Syrian forces and Iranian-backed groups to prevent Iranian entrenchment. This is part of a broader strategy to disrupt the transfer of weapons to Hezbollah, an Iranian ally. While Israel rarely acknowledges these operations, it has maintained a firm stance against Iranian influence in the region.