The recent Israeli strike on northern Syria’s Aleppo province has resulted in the tragic loss of at least 36 Syrian soldiers, according to reports from a war monitor. The attack, which took place in the early hours of Friday morning, targeted an area near rocket depots belonging to the Lebanese group Hezbollah.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a well-known war monitor with a vast network of sources in Syria, confirmed the death toll and stated that the strike also caused casualties among civilians. Syrian state news agency SANA reported that the pre-dawn attack not only claimed the lives of military personnel but also injured innocent bystanders.
A Syrian military source revealed to SANA that the Israeli enemy launched the air attack from the direction of Athriya, southeast of Aleppo. The strike hit Hezbollah missile depots located in Aleppo’s southern suburb of Jibreen, near the Aleppo International Airport. The aftermath of the attack was marked by ongoing explosions that continued to be heard for hours.
Despite the devastating impact of the strike, there has been no official statement from Israeli authorities regarding the incident. It is worth noting that Israel has a history of launching strikes on Iran-linked targets in Syria, although they rarely acknowledge these actions. Just a day before the Aleppo attack, Syrian state media reported airstrikes near the capital Damascus that resulted in injuries to two civilians.
Hezbollah, a prominent Lebanese militant group, has maintained a military presence in Syria since its involvement in the country’s conflict alongside government forces. Aleppo, once Syria’s largest city and commercial hub, has been a frequent target of such attacks in the past, leading to the closure of its international airport. Fortunately, Friday’s strike did not impact the airport’s operations.
The escalation of strikes in Syria over the past few months coincides with the ongoing conflict in Gaza and clashes between Hezbollah and Israeli forces along the Lebanon-Israel border. The volatile situation in the region has raised concerns about further violence and instability.
As the international community closely monitors developments in Syria and the broader Middle East, calls for de-escalation and peaceful resolutions to conflicts grow louder. The loss of lives, whether military or civilian, serves as a stark reminder of the human cost of war and the urgent need for diplomatic efforts to prevent further bloodshed.
The tragic events in Aleppo underscore the complex web of geopolitical tensions and rivalries that continue to shape the region’s dynamics. It is imperative for all parties involved to prioritize dialogue and negotiation as a means to achieve lasting peace and stability in Syria and beyond.