A series of Israeli airstrikes near the Syrian city of Aleppo on Friday has resulted in casualties among both civilians and military personnel, as reported by the Syrian state news agency SANA. According to Reuters, the airstrikes led to the deaths of thirty-eight individuals, including five members of the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah. One of the Hezbollah fighters killed was a local field commander, whose brother had also been killed in a previous Israeli strike in southern Lebanon in November.
These recent airstrikes are considered some of the deadliest since Israel escalated its military campaign against Iran-backed groups in Syria last year. The attack was initiated by Israeli warplanes around 1:45 a.m. local time from the direction of Athriya, southeast of Aleppo, according to a military source quoted by SANA. The Israel Defense Forces have chosen not to comment on the incident.
Israel has previously conducted attacks on Aleppo and the Syrian capital Damascus, expressing concerns that Iran could potentially utilize Syria as a base for aggression against Israel. The ongoing tensions in the region continue to raise international concerns about the escalation of violence and the impact on civilian populations caught in the crossfire.
