The strike on Damascus was the first since the 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit Turkey and Syria. Reuters
The strike on Damascus was the first since the 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit Turkey and Syria. Reuters
The strike on Damascus was the first since the 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit Turkey and Syria. Reuters
The strike on Damascus was the first since the 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit Turkey and Syria. Reuters

Five killed in Israeli air strikes on Damascus, Syria says


Khaled Yacoub Oweis
  • English
  • Arabic

Israeli forces fired missiles on Sunday at a central area of Damascus where major security compounds are located, pro-government media said, in a rare attack deep within the capital.

Air raids and other attacks by Israel has increased on Syria in the past few years to curb increased Iranian presence, and what it says is the smuggling of long-range rockets and missiles into Syria.

At least five people were killed in the attack on the upmarket, tightly guarded Kfar Souseh neighbourhood, as well as other areas on the edge of the city, state TV said.

It quoted a military official as saying that shortly after midnight on Sunday Israeli missiles struck several targets in Damascus and its surrundings, including "residential neighbourhoods inhabited by civilians".

He said an initial tally showed one soldier among the five deaths, and 15 civilians wounded.

But a pro-regime Facebook page said two of the dead were members of the military, naming them as Colonel Amjad Ali, and Aksam Isper, a lower ranking soldier.

Israel has struck Damascus dozens of times in the past decade as Iranian reach deepened in Syria, mainly through Hezbollah and other Shiite militias, which are supported by Iran and fighting on behalf of President Bashar Al Assad in the civil war.

Tehran, according to Israel, also oversees the transport of weapons from Iran to its proxies in Syria, through Iraq.

  • A satellite image shows damage at Aleppo airport in northern Syria following reported Israeli strikes on September 6. AFP
    A satellite image shows damage at Aleppo airport in northern Syria following reported Israeli strikes on September 6. AFP
  • More damage at Aleppo airport after Israeli strikes on August 31.
    More damage at Aleppo airport after Israeli strikes on August 31.
  • A building damaged by a reported Israeli air strike in the western Syrian coastal city of Tartus. AFP
    A building damaged by a reported Israeli air strike in the western Syrian coastal city of Tartus. AFP
  • The damaged runway of the Damascus International Airport, when it was hit by an Israeli air strike on June 10. AP
    The damaged runway of the Damascus International Airport, when it was hit by an Israeli air strike on June 10. AP
  • Syria said the June 10 strike caused "significant" damage to infrastructure and knocked out the main runway. AP
    Syria said the June 10 strike caused "significant" damage to infrastructure and knocked out the main runway. AP
  • Damage reported by the Syrian state media in Damascus in March. Reuters
    Damage reported by the Syrian state media in Damascus in March. Reuters
  • Fire burns after a reported Israeli missile attack on a container storage area in the port of Latakia in December 2021. Reuters
    Fire burns after a reported Israeli missile attack on a container storage area in the port of Latakia in December 2021. Reuters
  • Firefighters called in to tackle the Latakia blaze. Reuters
    Firefighters called in to tackle the Latakia blaze. Reuters
  • An Israeli pilot in an F-35 fighter jet at Nevatim air base. Reuters
    An Israeli pilot in an F-35 fighter jet at Nevatim air base. Reuters
  • An Israeli Air Force F-35 fighter jet performs an aerial demonstration at the Hatzerim air base. Reuters
    An Israeli Air Force F-35 fighter jet performs an aerial demonstration at the Hatzerim air base. Reuters
  • An Israeli F-15 fighter jet at the Blue Flag 2017 exercise at Israel's Ovda military air base. Reuters
    An Israeli F-15 fighter jet at the Blue Flag 2017 exercise at Israel's Ovda military air base. Reuters
  • Smoke billows following an Israeli airstrike targeting Syrian capital Damascus in July 2020. AFP
    Smoke billows following an Israeli airstrike targeting Syrian capital Damascus in July 2020. AFP

The attack on Kfar Souseh, however, was rare in that it was so near Umayyad Square, the main intersection in the centre of the city. It was also in Kfar Souseh that one of the most senior Hezbollah operatives, Imad Mughniyeh, was assassinated through use of a car bomb in 2008.

Members of the Syrian opposition to the regime said the strike signalled the possibility that a key operative was targeted.

They pointed out that important security compounds, such as the National Security Bureau and intelligence branches are located in Kfar Souseh. The area also has residences for security commanders, some of whom are non-Syrian and linked to Iran, they said.

Although Kfar Souseh is among the most expensive areas of Damascus, many of its security complexes are located next to residential buildings.

A Facebook page for President Bashar Al Assad's loyalists showed a building in Kfar Souseh that was claimed to be the target. It had a white stone facade and appeared damaged.

There was no immediate comment from Israel on the attack, the first first since a 7.8-magnitude earthquake on February 6 hit Turkey and damaged parts of Syria.

Possible targets

The pro-Hezbollah Al Mayadeen Television in Lebanon quoted a representative of Islamic Jihad, one of the most pro-Iranian Palestinian militant groups present in Damascus, as denying rumours that Akram Al Ajouri, one of its commanders, was the target of the Israeli raid.

The last known attack on Damascus, on January 2, temporarily put the city's airport out of service and reportedly killed two Syrian soldiers.

Wael Alwan, director of information at the Syrian research centre Jusoor, said Sunday's strike on Kfar Souseh could be part of Israeli attempts to disrupt the flow of weapons from Iran to Syria, which may have picked up after the earthquake under the guise of aid for victims in regime areas.

He said the attack might have aimed to disrupt the command and control of smuggling efforts.

"The attack this morning was one of the largest Israeli strikes. Targeting Kfar Souseh means they were after someone important," he said from Istanbul.

He said that in relative terms Kfar Souseh is "densely populated" with security elements under civilian guise, whether Syrian intelligence, Hezbollah or members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the main Iranian organisation in charge of relations with Tehran's militia proxies.

Mr Alwan said there was speculation that the Israelis may have been aiming for an Iraqi commander linked to the IRGC.

"If he was, it appears that they missed him," he said.

The Bio

Amal likes watching Japanese animation movies and Manga - her favourite is The Ancient Magus Bride

She is the eldest of 11 children, and has four brothers and six sisters.

Her dream is to meet with all of her friends online from around the world who supported her work throughout the years

Her favourite meal is pizza and stuffed vine leaves

She ams to improve her English and learn Japanese, which many animated programmes originate in

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In Dubai:

Dh200 for littering or spitting in the Dubai Metro

Dh500 for throwing cigarette butts or chewing gum on the floor, or littering from a vehicle. 
Dh1,000 for littering on a beach, spitting in public places, throwing a cigarette butt from a vehicle

In Sharjah and other emirates
Dh500 for littering - including cigarette butts and chewing gum - in public places and beaches in Sharjah
Dh2,000 for littering in Sharjah deserts
Dh500 for littering from a vehicle in Ras Al Khaimah
Dh1,000 for littering from a car in Abu Dhabi
Dh1,000 to Dh100,000 for dumping waste in residential or public areas in Al Ain
Dh10,000 for littering at Ajman's beaches 

If you go:
The flights: Etihad, Emirates, British Airways and Virgin all fly from the UAE to London from Dh2,700 return, including taxes
The tours: The Tour for Muggles usually runs several times a day, lasts about two-and-a-half hours and costs £14 (Dh67)
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is on now at the Palace Theatre. Tickets need booking significantly in advance
Entrance to the Harry Potter exhibition at the House of MinaLima is free
The hotel: The grand, 1909-built Strand Palace Hotel is in a handy location near the Theatre District and several of the key Harry Potter filming and inspiration sites. The family rooms are spacious, with sofa beds that can accommodate children, and wooden shutters that keep out the light at night. Rooms cost from £170 (Dh808).

Desert Warrior

Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley

Director: Rupert Wyatt

Rating: 3/5

The President's Cake

Director: Hasan Hadi

Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem 

Rating: 4/5

Last-16 Europa League fixtures

Wednesday (Kick-offs UAE)

FC Copenhagen (0) v Istanbul Basaksehir (1) 8.55pm

Shakhtar Donetsk (2) v Wolfsburg (1) 8.55pm

Inter Milan v Getafe (one leg only) 11pm

Manchester United (5) v LASK (0) 11pm 

Thursday

Bayer Leverkusen (3) v Rangers (1) 8.55pm

Sevilla v Roma  (one leg only)  8.55pm

FC Basel (3) v Eintracht Frankfurt (0) 11pm 

Wolves (1) Olympiakos (1) 11pm 

COMPANY PROFILE

Name: Cofe

Year started: 2018

Based: UAE

Employees: 80-100

Amount raised: $13m

Investors: KISP ventures, Cedar Mundi, Towell Holding International, Takamul Capital, Dividend Gate Capital, Nizar AlNusif Sons Holding, Arab Investment Company and Al Imtiaz Investment Group 

Jetour T1 specs

Engine: 2-litre turbocharged

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Who is Mohammed Al Halbousi?

The new speaker of Iraq’s parliament Mohammed Al Halbousi is the youngest person ever to serve in the role.

The 37-year-old was born in Al Garmah in Anbar and studied civil engineering in Baghdad before going into business. His development company Al Hadeed undertook reconstruction contracts rebuilding parts of Fallujah’s infrastructure.

He entered parliament in 2014 and served as a member of the human rights and finance committees until 2017. In August last year he was appointed governor of Anbar, a role in which he has struggled to secure funding to provide services in the war-damaged province and to secure the withdrawal of Shia militias. He relinquished the post when he was sworn in as a member of parliament on September 3.

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He maintains good relations with former Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki’s State of Law Coaliton, Hadi Al Amiri’s Badr Organisation and Iranian officials.

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Lexus LX700h specs

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Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4

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Updated: February 19, 2023, 3:24 PM