Illustrative image. (The Israeli Defense Forces)
Over a dozen people were killed in central and southern Syria overnight when the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) unleashed an intense wave of strikes against military sites and clashed with local fighters.
The strikes, which began late on April 2, targeted “remaining military capabilities” at the Hama military airport in the western Hama countryside and the T-4 Air Base in the eastern Homs countryside, according to the IDF, which said in a statement that runways, fuel depots, and radars at the two sites were hit.
The IDF added that the strikes also targeted “military infrastructure” close to the Syrian capital, Damascus, without elaborating.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) confirmed that the Barzeh scientific research center, located just outside the capital, was hit by multiple strikes. Some 18 strikes also targeted Hama military airport and three others targeted the T4, according to the London-based monitoring group.
Videos posted to social networks showed large blasts at the targeted sites. Photos from Hama also revealed that several fighter jets were destroyed.
Click to see full-size image. Via Telegram.
The strikes came following reports of Turkish plans to deploy troops at military sites in central Syria. One particular report by the Middle East Eye said that Ankara was preparing to deploy air defenses and combat drones at the T4 and the nearby Palmyra military airport, which were both targeted twice by the IDF last month.
According to the SOHR, at least four people were killed in Hama as a result of the strikes. Syrian activists alleged that three Turkish engineers were among the casualties. However, these claims are yet to be verified.
Amid the strikes, a large force from the IDF advanced from the buffer zone adjacent to the occupied Golan Heights towards the town of Nawa in the western Daraa countryside.
Israeli troops had occupied the buffer zone just hours after the fall of the Assad regime last December as a part of a large-scale operation that also saw the destruction of most of the combat capabilities left behind by the former Syrian military by some 500 strikes.
The advance towards Nawa triggered calls for “Jihad,” with dozens of locals taking up arms and attempting to stop Israeli troops close to the nearby town of Tasil.
The IDF confirmed in a statement released on April 3 morning that local fighters opened fire on Israeli troops operating near Tasil, as they were working to “confiscate weapons and destroy terror infrastructure.”
The troops, of the 474th Golan Regional Brigade, returned fire and “eliminated” several gunmen “on the ground and from the air,” the military said, adding that no soldiers were injured in the exchange, and the operation in the area was completed.
The state-run Syrian Arab News agency later said that nine people were killed in Israeli strikes that targeted the area of Harsh Sad al-Jubailiya between Nawa and Tasil, describing the incident as a “massacre.”
This was the second incident in which IDF troops operating in southern Syria have come under fire since taking over the bufferzone.
The deadly strikes and clashes drew only condemnations from the Syrian interim government, which called the events a “flagrant violation” of the country’s sovereignty.
“In a blatant violation of international law and Syrian sovereignty, Israeli forces launched airstrikes on five locations across the country,” the Syrian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
“This unjustified escalation is a deliberate attempt to destabilize Syria and exacerbate the suffering of its people,” it added.
The ministry also acknowledged that the Israeli attack resulted in the “near-total destruction” of Hama military airport, noting that the strikes came as the country is trying to rebuild after 14 years of war and calling it a strategy to “normalize violence within the country.”
From its side, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said that the strikes on Syria were intended to serve as “a warning for the future.”
“Israel will not allow Syria to become a threat to its communities and security interests,” said Katz.
“If you allow forces hostile to Israel to enter Syria and endanger Israel’s security interests, you will pay a heavy price,” the minister added, addressing Syria’s interim president Ahmed Al-Sharaa by his nom de guerre, Abu Mohammad al-Joulani.
“The Air Force’s operations yesterday against the T-4 and Hama airports and in the Damascus area are a clear message and a warning for the future: We will not allow the State of Israel’s security to be harmed,” he concluded.
Overall, the deadly strikes were without a doubt meant as a threat to Turkey. Israel appears to be determined to prevent the emergence of a strategic Turkish-Syrian alliance. Any attempt by Ankara to challenge Israel could result in a dangeoruse confrontation, with Damascus ultimately paying the price.
While Turkey had much success before in advancing its interests in Syria, Libya and Iraq, it has never faced any challenge as serious as the once currently posed by Israel.
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why are these zionist bastards allowed to do what they want? zionist scum need to be crushed alongside with their anglo allies.l!
cause they controll washington, london and brussels and these support and protect them and us vetoes block any anti israel boycott or sanctions. but carma is a biatch and did not forget anythig, when the big payback day will come.
the iranian ayatollah and erdogan are friends, which is why the ayatollah betrayed the alawites. don’t think the houthis wouldn’t if they benefited from it.
it’s sad if you have iran as an ally. the ayatollah and erdogan are planning an attack on israel. they chose chief jolani because assad is a coward. putin is working with edogan because he is afraid of nato. but trump is only after money and will sell the f-35 to turkey so jolani and erdogan can destroy israel.
jewlani destroying israel is close to 0%. what needs to happen is islamic world cooperation behind closed doors for some real surprises against the jews.
good luck with that the arab countries are gutless big girls.
putler is the main traitorous pig.
jewlani is a zio puppet.
hes their osama, fake cia oporative
turks are turning into chicken shits. if nobody stops the zionist vermin, they will be knocking at your door trying to steal your land. there needs to be no mercy towards zionists, they are human scum
the turks sell the oil stolen by the quisling turds to israhell.
you gotta admit, the j3ws cucked usa over 80 years ago and using usa like a animal farm, milking $$$$ as they build them self up and arm them self with goyem $$$$
agreed the us is a now talmudic bolschivick state . you will be deported next
donmeh erdogan and netanyahu are just posturing. unfortunately the vast majority won’t acknowledge that they’re on the same team.
today as we reading this news netanyahu is in hungary for a 4 days visit and next month he will be in moscow invited by putin to participate in the immortal parade, i think that is disgusting!
putin should be smart enough to see through that stinking pig and not invite him. but jewish parasitic influence in russia exists just as it does in the west. ( ( they ) ) are the ultimate fifth column of subversives. they will be milking the holohaux for sympathy until the end of time
putin should be arresting that pig.
lol they for for the same family that cabal that controls the world
putin has a handler that operate on masonic (j3w) lodge, look it up, in moscow you have all these gov buildings plastered with masonic decor
putin is just a business manager and russia has close economic ties with turkey and israel ( russian oligarchy and jew oblast in russia), of course the main target of putin is to remove the liberal globalist system of eu
iran would be well advised not to rely over much on putin. putin has sold out iran in the past and will do so again if the price is right. he supported genocidal us sanctions against iran and n. korea, refused to complete bushehr and refused to deliver s300 s iran had paid for – in return for worthless us promises (never kept) not to put missiles on russia’s borders. putin can be a bit of a snake. iran should get the bomb pronto – or buy one from n. korea..
what an almighty mess. politicians and nato turk and isr and western leaders with their egos and swinging big dicks playing war because their egos tell them winning is the only outcome. whilst they send ordinary soldiers to die for them. note these coward leaders and officer generals always safe and protected far from the front line action. cowardly western warmongers can only rain death and destruction from the sky.
the americans and jews only attack those who have no air force. its a pattern im noticing. such brave warriors. they need endless handouts to “win” against the quicksand they stand in
“assad regime” ???? is southfront now in hands of zionists ?
looks like such. and also demoralizing readers.
good, they deserve it.
every jolani monster that dies will no longer cause harm to this vile, treacherous planet.
theses zionists are afraid and they are right to be afraid we are coming 🐺🇹🇷🤘🏼
turkey is going to have to use damascus and aleppo international airports as military bases then, israel won’t dare destroy those, and then there’s deir ezzor and other airports that turkey can use.
if erdo really would have big cohones, he would load a big ship full of small arms and atgms, escort it by war ships and air force to gaza and hand over all to hamas and islamic djihad. this would be game over for shlomos in gaza .
erdogan is even more of a quisling whore than abbas or sisi or fake king abdullah. he sells syrian oil stolen by the quisling turds to israhell.
lol that j3w puppet thought he was high and mighty till he got betrayed by his handlers. israel great israel project is to weaken all nations around its self so they can only be like the palestinians, rocks and aks, then they are mere slaves and not a threat. you can thank us and its western cucks for allowing this and destruction of order in middle east. at the end of the days the minority’s are killed by the head choppers and they dont care.
greedy people do greedy things . they do not have the mental facilities for any other thoughts
this describes all amerikan hillbillies
erdoganists successfully destroying both syria and turkey. erdogan will not dare to challenge his master milekowski (aka netanyahu).
i double my queer prozac
“the air force’s operations yesterday against the t-4 and hama airports and in the damascus area are a clear message and a warning for the future: we will not allow the state of israel’s security to be harmed,” he concluded.”’ what? where was then the ‘self determination right’ ukraine style? then putin was right as well to attack ukraine? or he cannot do because ukraine serves the western elites?