A Syrian soldier was killed and three others injured in Israeli airstrikes targeting multiple military sites around Damascus and a residential building within the city, according to the official Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), citing a military source early Sunday.
The Israeli military, which rarely claims responsibility for strikes in Syria, confirmed it targeted a Syrian military command centre, installations, and air defense unit positions.
The Syrian military source stated, “One military martyr was confirmed, and three others were injured due to an aerial assault by the Israeli enemy shortly after midnight today (Saturday-Sunday).”
The source added that the attack originated from the direction of the occupied Syrian Golan Heights, targeting several military sites in the southern region and a residential building in the upscale Kafr Sousa area of Damascus.
The source highlighted that the air defense systems managed to intercept and down a significant number of the missiles despite their intensity.
SANA published photos showing a fire and what appeared to be a crater caused by the bombardment. Local journalists shared images on social media depicting a fire in a residential area of Kafr Sousa, a district known for housing official buildings and military and security headquarters, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Local radio station Sham FM reported on “an explosion in an ammunition depot due to the Israeli aggression targeting a site around the capital.” The radio added, “Ambulances and fire trucks were heard in the city streets.”
A resident of the Mazzeh area in western Damascus told AFP, “The sounds of the explosions were very loud and sequential, and we later smelled a strong odor of gunpowder.”
In a statement on Sunday, the Israeli military said, “Yesterday, Saturday, two UAVs approached an area north of Eilat from Syrian territory and were intercepted.”
The statement continued, “In response, the military struck a Syrian military command centre and installations overnight. Targets used by the air defense unit of the Syrian army were also hit.” It emphasized that “the Syrian regime is responsible for all terrorist activities occurring on its territory and will be held accountable.”
Israeli strikes on Syria have increased since the outbreak of the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza on October 7, when the Palestinian movement launched an unprecedented attack on southern Israel.
