A attack attributed to Israel would have hit pro-Iranian militias in the Sayyidah Zaynab area, south of Damascus, Syria, resulting in at least two deaths. This was reported by al-Arabiya satellite TV, which cites the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, based in the United Kingdom and sources in the Arab country.
On its website the Observatory reports strong explosions at dawn today due to “Israeli airstrikes” with “several missiles” fired at a Lebanese Hezbollah site (historically supported by Iran) and against an area along the road to Damascus airport. It is the “eighth attack against Syrian territory” since the beginning of the year, according to the Observatory's news.
The news comes after US officials confirmed to CBS yesterday that they had approved plans for a series of raids over days against targets in Iraq and Syria, including Iranian personnel and facilities. A response to drone and rocket attacks against US forces in the region after three US service members died last Sunday in a drone attack that hit an outpost, 'Tower 22', in Jordan, near the border with Syria .
Yesterday, Israeli TV channel Kan reported that Iran was reducing the presence of high-ranking Revolutionary Guards officers in Syria as part of a decision that would involve relying more on local Shiite militias. In recent weeks, Syria has often reported raids attributed to Israel, in which Iranian Pasdaran men were also killed.
Iran: we will not start war but ready to give a strong response
“We will not start any war, but if anyone wants to bully, Iran will give him a strong response” The Iranian president, Ebrahim Raisi, declared this in a televised address after US officials confirmed to CBS yesterday that plans had been approved for a series of raids, over a period of days, against targets in Iraq and Syria, including Iranian personnel and facilities, in response to drone and rocket attacks against US forces in the region.
Austin hears Gallant: at the center talks about reducing the intensity of operations in Gaza
New telephone conversation between the head of the Pentagon, Lloyd Austin, and the Israeli Defense Minister, Yoav Gallant. The focus of the telephone conversation, the Department of Defense announced, was “Israel's transition to low-intensity operations in Gaza, support for a diplomatic solution along the border between Israel and Lebanon and stability in the West Bank.”
Austin also insisted on the “importance of ensuring uninterrupted humanitarian assistance to Gaza.” The Palestinian enclave came under the control of Hamas in 2007 and has been the target of Israeli military operations since the October 7 attack in Israel.
Gallant and Austin also spoke about “threats in the region to US forces” after yesterday the US defense secretary confirmed that “we will respond at the times and places we choose” to the attack in Jordan in which three American soldiers were killed last Sunday .
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