Israeli airstrike in Damascus kills three

An Israeli airstrike targeted the Syrian capital, Damascus, early Tuesday morning (1 October, local time), with explosions heard in the area. Syrian state television reported that three civilians were killed, including a local TV presenter, Safaa Ahmed, while nine others were injured. The Syrian air defense systems were activated, and three “hostile targets” were intercepted over the city.

This attack follows a similar incident last Friday (27 September), when five Syrian soldiers were killed in an Israeli strike on a military base near Damascus. The strike reportedly originated from the Golan Heights area and targeted a Syrian outpost on the Syria-Lebanon border. Israel has increased its strikes in Syria in recent weeks, focusing on military targets linked to Hezbollah and Iranian weapons transfers.

Israel’s recent airstrikes are part of a broader effort to disrupt arms smuggling operations from Iran to Hezbollah via Syria. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that one of their strikes last Thursday targeted key infrastructure used for transferring weapons from Syria to Hezbollah in Lebanon. Israel maintains that these weapons are intended for use against Israeli civilians.

Tensions have been rising in the region as Israel continues to target Syrian and Hezbollah-linked military infrastructure. The repeated strikes highlight Israel’s concern over Iran’s growing influence in the region, particularly through its support of Hezbollah. Despite Syrian air defense efforts, Israeli attacks have continued to strike strategic targets in and around Damascus.

References

• Israeli airstrike in Damascus kills three civilians