According to the Syrian Health Minister, Israeli airstrikes on several military locations in central Syria have resulted in the deaths of at least 18 persons. According to Hassan al-Ghabbash, 37 more persons were hurt in Sunday night’s attacks near Masyaf in the Hama region, according to a report from the state news agency Sana. According to a UK-based monitoring group, 26 individuals were slain, and one of the targets was a scientific research facility close to Masyaf that was used to manufacture weaponry.
The strikes were denounced as “blatant aggression” by the Syrian foreign ministry and referred to as a “criminal attack” by the Iranian foreign ministry. The Israeli military stated that it would not comment on reports of the strikes in foreign media. However, Israel has previously acknowledged carrying out hundreds of strikes in recent years on targets in Syria that it says are linked to Iran – Israel’s main foe – and allied armed groups. The Israeli strikes have reportedly been stepped up since the start of the war in Gaza in October last year, in response to cross-border attacks on northern Israel by Hezbollah and other groups in Lebanon and Syria.
Sana’s report cited a Syrian military source as saying that Israeli aircraft flying over north-western Lebanon launched missiles at “a number of military sites in the central region” at around 23:20 (20:20 GMT) on Sunday. The news agency said the strikes also caused damage to the Masyaf-Wadi al-Oyoun highway and that a fire broke out in the forested Hair Abbas area. State-run Al-Ikhbariya al-Suriyah TV also broadcast footage purportedly showing a damaged building in the port city of Tartous, west of Masyaf.
It said at least 26 people were killed, including five civilians, four members of Syrian government forces and 14 Syrians working with pro-Iran groups. Another three bodies were unidentified, it added. The SOHR said Iranian Revolutionary Guards officers had been stationed in the scientific research area for six years as part of a programme to develop short- and medium-range precision missiles and drones. A senior regional military source close to Damascus and Tehran also denied a Reuters news agency report which cited two intelligence sources as saying that a major military research centre for chemical arms production was hit several times.
SOURCE: BBC
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