Dozens Reported Dead as Israeli Airstrikes Hit Syria

In the early hours of a seemingly quiet Friday morning, the skies over Aleppo, Syria, became the scene of violence as a series of airstrikes were carried out.

The Syrian Defence Ministry has pointed fingers at Israel, accusing it of initiating the attacks from the southeast direction of Athriya. While the Israeli government has remained silent on the matter, the repercussions of the event have echoed loudly, with reports of casualties.

The airstrikes targeted various locations in the countryside of Aleppo. Although the Syrian Defence Ministry has not provided specific details on the casualties or the extent of the damage, it has confirmed that both civilians and military personnel fell victim to the strikes. Media sources, including RT and Reuters, have reported the death toll to be around 40, with the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights noting a slightly higher figure of 43 fatalities. The strikes are said to have hit Syrian army positions, Iran-supported Hezbollah fighters, and a weapons depot near Aleppo International Airport.

This act of aggression comes amidst a backdrop of escalating tensions in the region. Israel, known for its silence on operations conducted in Syrian airspace, has been more vocal about its extraterritorial operations elsewhere. Notably, on the same day, an Israeli drone strike in southern Lebanon took the life of a high-ranking Hezbollah member, showcasing a rare moment of open acknowledgment by the Israel Defense Forces.

The ongoing conflict has seen a tit-for-tat exchange of missile and rocket fire between Hezbollah militants and Israeli forces. The situation intensified in recent days, leading to an Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon that claimed 16 lives, including seven paramedics, in retaliation to a Hezbollah rocket attack on Israel.