Israeli Warplanes Strike Damascus As Iran Tensions Still On Edge

Israeli aircraft have reportedly attacked a location on the outskirts of the Syrian capital of Damascus late Thursday (local), a security source told Reuters.

While there has been no immediate confirmation via Syrian state media, widely circulating images have emerged on social media showing plumes of smoke rising high over buildings which were struck.

Pictures coming from Damascus after the Israeli airstrikes. pic.twitter.com/DpFc9yRvFk

— War Watch (@WarWatchs) May 2, 2024

If confirmed, it could be another targeted assassination against Iranian generals or IRGC officers, and certainly would also be intended to signal Israel remains undeterred by Iran’s April 13th attack, which was in retaliation for the prior Israeli attack on Iran’s embassy in Damascus.

According to unverified social media reports: 

The Israeli attack against Syria targeted the building of the Syrian State Security branch in the “Najha” area in the Damascus countryside.

There has been some speculation that this is an Israeli response to the launch of rockets from the Syrian side towards the Golan Heights earlier in the day and week.

Reports suggest Israeli Jets are flying past Quneitra and attacking Positions of SAA near southern Damascus. Also issuing Red alerts over northern Israel and Golan.
Very intense escalation and trying to pull Syria into a regional War.
Red is marking suspected movement of Jets… pic.twitter.com/Jej1eSANUE

— Jad 🇸🇾 (@JadMously) May 2, 2024

This new attack demonstrates also that Iran-Israel tensions which last month nearly led to a major regional war are not over. 

Both sides backed down after tit-for-tat ‘limited’ strikes on each others’ territory. Israel had reportedly planned for a bigger attack, but Washington reportedly pressured the Netanyahu government to back down, fearing that the whole region would be set on fire.