Syria accuses Israel after strikes kill more than 40 near Aleppo
Reports indicate that air strikes in northwest Syria have resulted in the deaths of at least 42 individuals. According to Syria’s defense ministry, Israeli aircraft targeted multiple locations in the Aleppo countryside at 01:45 on Friday (22:45 GMT Thursday).
A monitoring group based in the UK reported that Hezbollah militants and Syrian soldiers were killed when a Hezbollah arms depot was struck. Subsequently, Israel’s military claimed responsibility for killing a senior Hezbollah figure in a separate air strike in Lebanon.
The individual, identified as Ali Abed Akhsan Naim, served as a deputy commander in Hezbollah’s missiles and rockets unit, with a role in planning and executing attacks on Israeli civilians.
Israel Defense Forces released a video allegedly showing the vehicle carrying Naim being hit by a missile and exploding in the Bazuriyeh area, east of Tyre port. As of now, Hezbollah has not issued any statements regarding these events.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based organization monitoring Syria, reported that the attack in Aleppo resulted in the highest death toll (36) among Syrian forces in a single Israeli strike, with an additional six Hezbollah fighters killed.
Reuters news agency, citing security sources, stated that among the deceased were five Hezbollah fighters, bringing the total death toll to 38.
Syria’s defense ministry said civilians and Syrian military personnel had been killed. It said the air strikes were carried out “in conjunction with” drone attacks by “terrorist organizations” against Aleppo city and the surrounding area, though it did not give any further information.
Israel’s military told the BBC it would not comment on foreign media reports.
The SOHR, which uses an extensive network of contacts in Syria, said the alleged Israeli strikes also caused multiple injuries, some serious.
It said that the strikes hit the weapons warehouse in the Jabrin area, near Aleppo International Airport, and targeted Syrian air defense forces facilities in Al-Saferah, about 20km (12.5 miles), southeast of Aleppo city. It also said explosions were heard in the Kafr Joum area of western Aleppo.
In recent years, Israel has launched hundreds of strikes on Syria against Hezbollah or Iranian assets there. It has vowed to prevent Iran – Hezbollah’s most important backer – from transferring advanced weaponry to the Lebanese group or from building up its military presence in Syria.
Both Iran and Hezbollah – Syrian allies – oppose Israel’s existence. Alleged Israeli strikes on Syria have increased since Hamas, which is also supported by Iran and Hezbollah, carried out the 7 October attacks on Israel, which triggered the war in Gaza.
Cross-border attacks between Hezbollah in Lebanon and Israel have also escalated. On Wednesday, Israeli air strikes on southern Lebanon killed 16 people, including Hezbollah fighters and other militants, marking the deadliest attacks of their kind since Hezbollah began launching rockets at Israel in support of Hamas on 8 October.
Hours after the first Israeli strike, a Hezbollah rocket barrage killed a 25-year-old man in northern Israel.
