Israeli airstrikes on central Syria have ignited fresh tensions across the Middle East, with the Iranian government denouncing the attacks as a “criminal” act. On Sunday, Israeli forces launched a series of airstrikes targeting military sites in Syria, reportedly killing more than a dozen people and wounding dozens more. The bombings have fueled concerns of a wider regional escalation as the conflict between Israel and Palestinian forces continues.
Iran, a key ally of Syria and a vocal critic of Israel’s military actions, strongly condemned the strikes. During a press conference on Monday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani said, “We strongly condemn this criminal attack.” Kanaani called for an immediate cessation of arms supplies to Israel by nations such as the United States and Germany, both of which have long been key suppliers of military equipment to the Israeli government.
Kanaani’s condemnation shows Iran’s frustration with Israeli military actions in Syria, which have escalated in intensity since the outbreak of the war in Gaza. He added that Israel’s ongoing bombardment is exacerbating regional tensions and stressed that such attacks have only worsened the humanitarian crises in Gaza and now Syria. Kanaani urged Israel’s weapons suppliers to “stop supporting and arming” the country.
The airstrikes on Sunday left at least 16 dead, according to the Syrian state news agency Sana, while additional reports indicate the number of deaths could be even higher. At least 36 people were injured in the strikes, and many remain in critical condition, according to Hama province’s health director. The area hit hardest by the strikes was Masyaf, in Hama province, where both military and civilian targets were reportedly struck. Sana’s report indicated that several military sites were hit by Israeli missiles, causing extensive damage to the surrounding areas.
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), which monitors the conflict, confirmed the extent of the damage and casualties. According to the SOHR, 25 people were killed, including five civilians, Syrian government forces, and Syrians allied with Iran. The monitoring group’s sources revealed that the airstrikes targeted “the scientific research area in Masyaf,” a region allegedly linked to chemical weapons production and frequently targeted by Israeli forces in recent years.
Israeli military strikes in Syria have been a recurring event for years, with Israel justifying its actions as necessary to prevent Iranian military entrenchment in the region. Syria, a long-standing ally of Iran, has been a major front in the ongoing proxy conflict between Israel and Iran. Since the beginning of Israel’s war on Gaza, airstrikes in Syria have reportedly escalated as tensions between Israel and Iran-backed groups, including Hezbollah, have increased.
While Israel has refrained from commenting directly on Sunday’s strikes, its military has previously acknowledged conducting numerous airstrikes on targets in Syria. These strikes are often aimed at Iranian-linked militias, which Israel claims pose a direct threat to its security. The latest strikes follow a series of attacks in Syria in recent months, which have primarily targeted military installations believed to be linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.
Iran’s involvement in the Syrian conflict has deepened significantly since the outbreak of the civil war in Syria. Iranian forces, alongside Hezbollah, have played a pivotal role in supporting the Syrian government, providing military support and resources. Israel has long accused Iran of using Syria as a base for launching attacks against its territories and has repeatedly vowed to prevent Iran from establishing a permanent military foothold in the country.
Reports from Reuters also noted that the airstrikes hit a “major military research center for chemical arms production located near Misyaf.” The facility has long been a target for Israeli strikes due to its alleged involvement in weapons production. Although Iranian spokesperson Kanaani denied the facility’s connection to Iran, he noted that “there were attacks on some Syrian facilities, including an attack on a research center affiliated with the Ministry of Defense and the Syrian army.”
The Israeli bombings have come at a time when tensions across the region are already high, with Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza attracting widespread condemnation. Iranian forces have become more involved in the Syrian war, and retaliatory measures against Israel are increasingly likely, heightening the risks of an all-out regional conflict.
Israel’s campaign against Iranian influence in Syria has often been described as part of a broader effort to limit Iran’s power in the region. However, with airstrikes now claiming the lives of civilians in addition to military personnel, the consequences of Israel’s actions in Syria are becoming even more deadly.
As Iran’s Nasser Kanaani warned in his public statement on Monday, the consequences of Israel’s military actions “only serve to deepen the region’s crises.”
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