UN envoy: Israeli strikes on Syria ‘likely the deadliest’ to date

A bombardment that killed scores in the city of Palmyra was “likely the deadliest Israeli strike in Syria to date,” a UN representative says, warning of escalating violence in the country.

At least 79 pro-Iran fighters died on Wednesday in the central city, which sits adjacent to a UNESCO World Heritage Site, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

“Once again Israeli airstrikes on Syria have increased significantly, both in frequency and scope,” Najat Rochdi, UN deputy special envoy to Syria, tells the Security Council.

“Just yesterday, we saw dozens killed in a strike near Palmyra –- likely the deadliest Israeli strike in Syria to date,” Rochdi says.

She adds that violence remains at “troubling levels” in other areas, including northwest Syria, where she cited an uptick in pro-government drone and artillery attacks.

Since the Syrian civil war erupted in 2011, Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes in the country, mainly targeting the army and Iran-backed groups.

The Israeli military has intensified its strikes on targets in Syria since almost a year of hostilities with Iran-backed Hezbollah in neighboring Lebanon escalated in late September.

“Clearly, the immediate priority for Syria is de-escalation,” Rochdi says. “As humanitarian aid diminishes and hostile rhetoric and actions intensify, Syrians are being driven into increasingly precarious and unsustainable conditions.”