Israel has conducted its most intense airstrikes on Syria's coastal Tartus region since 2012, targeting military sites including air defense units and missile storage facilities. The strikes resulted in massive explosions, with at least one blast registering as a 3.0 magnitude event on seismic sensors.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) stated that these preemptive strikes aimed to neutralize potential security threats and prevent advanced weaponry from reaching hostile groups. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized the necessity of these actions to maintain stability along Israel's northern border.
(A woman walking with children in Idlib, Idlib Governorate, Syria, Photograph by Ahmed Akacha)
Ahmad al-Sharaa, Syria's de facto leader following the ousting of President Bashar al-Assad, condemned the strikes as unprovoked aggression. However, he indicated that Syria would focus on reconstruction and avoid further military confrontations.
These developments occur amid Israel's plans to expand settlements in the Golan Heights, a region it captured during the 1967 Six-Day War and annexed in 1981. The Israeli government recently approved an $11 million plan to double the Israeli population in the Golan, a move condemned by several Arab nations.
The situation remains volatile, with international observers expressing concern over the potential for further escalation in the region.