Israeli air raids in Syria kills eight pro-Assad fighters
The victims are five government soldiers and three government allied fighters. The attack launched from Lebanese territory involved the capital, Homs and the coastal area of Latakia and Quneitra. Government sources speak of "attacks on multiple locations", with "strong explosions" felt in Damascus.
Damascus (AsiaNews / Agencies) - At least eight Assad militiamen were killed in Syria in a series of air strikes launched last night by Israeli fighters from Lebanese territory: they targeted the province of Homs, Damascus and the coastal area of Latakia and Quneitra.
According to reports from Rami Abdul Rahman, director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (an NGO based in the United Kingdom with a network of sources reporting from Syrian territory since the beginning of the war), victims include "at least five army soldiers and three allied fighters”.
The attacks began just before midnight and continued for a few hours. A source close to the Damascus government speaks of "aggression against multiple locations" in Syrian territory, including the capital where "residents felt strong explosions and tremors" caused by the bombs.
"In a serious violation of international law - continues the note - Israeli fighters opened fire from the skies of Lebanon".
Eyewitnesses in the Land of Cedars confirm the missile attack, some of which "were intercepted in Lebanese territory before entering Syrian airspace". What is called Israeli "aggression" in Damascus is not an unexpected event, because in recent days "Israeli spy planes and drones have flown over and patrolled the coastal area and territorial waters of Syria and Lebanon".
Analysts and experts say that the target of the attacks were, in all likelihood, arms depots and means provided by Iran to the Shiite militias allied to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Affected the central and southern regions of the Arab country; the Syrian anti-aircraft defence system responded to the offensive, but only some missiles were intercepted while a substantial part managed to hit the predetermined targets, inflicting material damage and causing casualties.
Observers believe the operation is a response to the launch of a Russian-made SA-5 missile from Syria into Israeli territory earlier this month; the missile, however, missed its target, exploding in an uninhabited area in the south of the country.
In the past, Israel has been able to carry out numerous attacks on Syrian and Lebanese territory, thanks to the green light received by the then US President Donald Trump, who during the four years of his mandate formed a strong alliance with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
In Syria alone, 50 operations against strategic targets were recorded in 2020 according to Israeli military sources. The situation does not seem to have changed under the new administration led by Democrat Joe Biden which has so far tolerated - if not authorized - Israeli military operations across the border.
.png)
21/01/2019 09:20
