Israeli strikes hamstrung Syrian search for chemical weapons, government adviser claims

By Reuters 17 July 2025, 3:33 pm

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Israeli airstrikes on Damascus have hampered Syria’s efforts to find and destroy chemical weapons stockpiled during the rule of toppled ruler Bashar al-Assad, a government adviser says.

A planned visit by inspectors from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons has already had to be postponed, adviser Ibrahim Olabi says.

The OPCW will hold an urgent meeting on Tuesday next week to discuss the situation and impact of the Israeli attacks, adds Olabi.

The OPCW does not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The Syrian defense ministry, which was hit in a powerful strike yesterday, provided the institutional infrastructure needed to organize and secure visits from OPCW inspectors, Olabi says.