14-11-2024 (JERUSALEM) Israeli warplanes conducted strategic airstrikes along the Syrian-Lebanese border yesterday, reportedly wounding 15 people and damaging critical infrastructure in what Israel describes as an operation targeting Hezbollah weapons smuggling routes.
The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) made a rare public acknowledgement of the operation, stating that the Israeli Air Force acted on military intelligence to disrupt arms supply lines between Syria and Lebanon allegedly used by Hezbollah, which Israel designates as a terrorist organisation.
Syrian state media agency Sana reported that the strikes, which targeted the Homs region, were met with anti-aircraft fire. Military sources cited by Sana confirmed that Israeli aircraft had struck bridges spanning the Orontes River and roads near the Syrian-Lebanese frontier, resulting in “significant damage” to infrastructure.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a respected monitoring organisation with extensive networks in Syria, reported that fifteen members of Syrian armed forces or allied groups sustained injuries in the attack. The observatory detailed that the strikes specifically targeted Syrian bridges and military checkpoints.
This latest military action occurs against the backdrop of escalating tensions since September, with Israel intensifying its campaign to sever potential arms supply routes along the Lebanese border with Syria. The strikes represent a continuation of Israel’s long-standing policy of preventing Iranian-backed forces from establishing a stronger foothold in the region.
Since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011, Israel has conducted hundreds of similar operations against Syrian government forces and Iranian-backed groups, particularly targeting Hezbollah forces deployed in support of the Assad regime. However, Israel typically maintains a policy of ambiguity regarding such operations in Syria.
