Israeli warplanes have carried out attacks across Syria, killing at least 10 in Dara’a and seven in Hama, marking the first deadly attack on forces led by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).
The Israeli military said it killed several “fighters” in southern Dara’a governorate, near the town of Tasil, during a raid overnight to confiscate “combat equipment and destroy terror infrastructure”.
The military said it would not tolerate the “presence of combat equipment in southern Syria.”
According to local media, Israeli warplanes launched multiple strikes early Thursday on the capital Damascus, the central province of Hama, and the south-west province of Dara’a, as part of a wider Israeli practice aimed at undermining military assets and research facilities amid escalating regional tensions.
The latest wave of attacks began with a series of heavy airstrikes targeting Hama Military Airport, resulting in around 18 recorded hits.
Syrian reports said the attacks killed seven individuals, including “four officials from the HTS-led administration’s Ministry of Defense”, while 12 others were reported injured.
The airstrikes reportedly caused extensive damage to military aircraft and infrastructure, rendering the airport completely out of service.
The HTS-led regime’s Foreign Ministry condemned the Israeli strikes as a “blatant violation of international law,” calling on the global community to pressure Israel to adhere to international norms.
It stated on Telegram that the strikes are an attempt to normalize violence against Syria and destabilize the country.
In the capital, Damascus, Israeli fighter jets targeted the Centre for Scientific Research in the Barza area, creating a plume of smoke that could be seen rising from the site.
The Israeli forces in a statement confirmed the attacks, describing them as necessary actions targeting “military capabilities” at Syrian bases in Hama and Tiyas Air Base (T-4) military airport in Homs, as well as military infrastructure in Damascus.
Israeli media indicated that the strikes on the T4 base served as a “message to Turkey,” which is reportedly seeking to establish a presence there and was preparing to deploy air defense systems to the site.
Israel views a Turkish military presence as a direct threat to its operational freedom over Syria.
A senior Israeli military official warned last week that a Turkish air base in Palmyra “could heighten regional tensions and increase the risk of conflict with Israel.”
Meanwhile, the western Dara’a countryside witnessed a dangerous military escalation following an incursion by Israeli occupation forces into the Tasil Forest and the outskirts of Nawa city.
Local sources reported that Israeli artillery, drones and helicopters targeted several sites surrounding Nawa city, Tal al-Jumu’, and the al-Jubailiya Forest, killing at least 10 individuals, with many more injured, amid an unprecedented state of public alert.
The ongoing rescue operations are expected to increase the death toll in Dara’a, overwhelming medical facilities with critically wounded individuals.
‘Heavy price’
Israeli war minister Israel Katz on Thursday warned Syria’s self-proclaimed president Abu Mohammad al-Jolani that he would face severe consequences if “Israel’s security” was threatened.
“I warn Syrian leader Jolani: If you allow hostile forces to enter Syria and threaten Israeli security interests, you will pay a heavy price,” Katz said in a statement.
Recent days have seen a surge in Israeli military activity in western Dara’a, including an attempted attack on the town of Koya in the Yarmouk Basin, which resulted in six deaths and the arrest of several civilians, including farmers.
Israeli officials have justified the airstrikes as necessary actions to eliminate perceived threats to Israelis, claiming that the operations are aimed at military capabilities located in Syria.
Although the new Syrian administration under Syria’s de-facto leader, Abu Mohammad al-Julani, seems to pose no direct threat to Israel, Tel Aviv has maintained a pattern of nearly daily airstrikes for months, leading to civilian casualties and damage to military sites, vehicles, and ammunition.
The recent escalation is part of a continued series of incursions following Bashar al-Assad government’s collapse, with multiple violations reported across various villages in Dara’a and Quneitra, both situated in south-wears Syria.
The Israeli military’s campaign unfolds against a backdrop of ongoing regional conflicts, including renewed hostilities in Gaza and recent strikes in Lebanon.
