Israeli airstrikes in Syria injure one, missiles shot down - Syrian reports

In the third alleged Israeli airstrike this week, sites south of Damascus were targeted and one person was injured, according to Syrian reports.

 Missile fire is seen over Damascus, Syria January 21, 2019.  (photo credit: SANA/HANDOUT VIA REUTERS)
Missile fire is seen over Damascus, Syria January 21, 2019.
(photo credit: SANA/HANDOUT VIA REUTERS)

Israeli airstrikes targeted sites south of Damascus, injuring one, at around 4 a.m. early Friday morning, Syrian state media SANA reported. 

According to the report, Syrian air defense systems shot most of the missiles down and some material damage was sustained. 

Israeli sources have not commented on the report. 

A repeating pattern

This is the third alleged airstrike this week. 

A WORKER fixes damage to a building from an Israeli airstrike in Damascus on November 20, 2019. Israel said it struck dozens of Iranian targets in Syria in response to rocket fire the prior day in the Golan Heights. (credit: REUTERS/OMAR SANADIKI)
A WORKER fixes damage to a building from an Israeli airstrike in Damascus on November 20, 2019. Israel said it struck dozens of Iranian targets in Syria in response to rocket fire the prior day in the Golan Heights. (credit: REUTERS/OMAR SANADIKI)

On Monday night, an alleged Israeli airstrike targeted sites south of Damascus.

The Syrian Capital Voice site reported on Tuesday morning that the strike had targeted a factory for developing Iranian weapons in the town of Aqraba, south of Damascus.

On Tuesday night, Syrian reports alleged that Israeli tanks targeted positions belonging to the Syrian military near El Malgah in the Quneitra region of southwestern Syria.

After the alleged tank strike, Israeli aircraft dropped leaflets warning that Israel would not tolerate any presence of the Syrian military in the demilitarized zone, according to the opposition-affiliated Radio Houran.

The last alleged Israeli strike in Quneitra was reported in May, when one strike targeted the Qurs al-Nafl site and another strike targeted sites in Jubata Al Khashab and az-Zuhur, areas where both the Syrian military and Hezbollah operate.

The background

These attacks come on the backdrop of growing tensions with Hezbollah and Iran in Syria, and the weight of the pressure landing on Iran from Western leaders, chiefly the IAEA resolution to censure Iran for nuclear violations. 

In the US, bipartisan support for increasing awareness and an active approach towards Iran's nuclear developments is growing. On Thursday, members of the Abraham Accords Caucus in the House and Senate introduced on Thursday a bipartisan, bicameral bill that would “unite Middle East partners as global threats from Iran and Iranian backed-extremists continue to rise.”

Israel, whose longtime and consistent policy was that Iran's alleged nuclear development requires a harsher approach, wrapped up two weeks ago its largest training exercise in Israeli history, dubbed "Chariots of Fire." It included simulating striking targets far from Israel’s borders, including Iran. 

Tzvi Joffre, Anna Ahronheim and Omri Nahmias contributed to this report.