War monitor says alleged Israel strikes in Syria overnight hit weapons depot

A war monitor said Israeli strikes on Syria early Sunday targeted at least two sites in Damascus province including a weapons depot, while state media said a soldier was wounded in the attack.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says “Israeli missiles” targeted a weapons depot belonging to the Syrian military and used by Hezbollah in Damascus province’s Qalamun mountains.

Video and photos of strikes by #Israel near Damascus, #Syria tonight. Comes after a projectile was launched from Syria at Israel. Also today #Syria's defense minister was visiting #Iran. pic.twitter.com/HJiBwzA5K2

— Jason Brodsky (@JasonMBrodsky) March 16, 2024

Another site near an army battalion in the same area was also targeted, added the Britain-based Observatory, reporting a fire at one of the sites.

The organization, run by a single person, has regularly been accused by Syrian war analysts of false and inaccurate reporting.

State news agency SANA, carrying a statement from a military source, said earlier that “the Israeli enemy carried out an air attack… targeting a number of points in the southern region,” without specifying where.

It said a soldier was wounded in the attack and reported “material losses”, adding that air defense systems shot down some of the missiles.

Since the Gaza war erupted, sparked by Hamas’s October 7 massacres, Israel has stepped up a years-long campaign of airstrikes aimed at rolling back Iran’s presence in Syria, attacking both Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps and Hezbollah, which has been exchanging fire with Israel across the Lebanese-Israeli border since October 8.

Israel rarely comments on its attacks in Syria.

Presumed Israeli strikes in Syria in the past have killed high-ranking figures with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and allied groups.