Israel has carried out the largest airstrike in Syria’s history, targeting various locations at least 480 times over the past 48 hours. The targets included weapon depots, naval facilities, airports, and missile systems.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) stated that their warships destroyed 15 naval vessels at the ports of Al-Bayda and Latakia. Additionally, weapons production facilities, ammunition depots, and air defense systems in cities such as Damascus, Homs, Tartus, and Palmyra were obliterated.
However, the IDF dismissed rumors that Israeli tanks had reached the Syrian capital, Damascus. Nonetheless, key infrastructures in the city have been significantly damaged due to the attacks.
Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant emphasized the success of the operation, stating that the aim was to eliminate strategic threats to Israel’s security. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Syria’s rebel group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, against allowing Iran to re-establish its presence in Syria, threatening severe repercussions otherwise.
Since the fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Israel has been conducting such strikes. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that at least 310 attacks on Syria have been documented since Assad’s fall.
Following Assad’s downfall, Israel has expanded its control over key areas in Syria’s southern Quneitra province.