The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) issued a statement on Saturday, confirming they had launched an attack against specific targets in war-torn Syria. The move came in retaliation to rocket attacks that were aimed at the Golan Heights, a territory which has been under Israeli occupation since it was seized during the military conflicts of 1967 and 1973.
A spokesperson for the IDF went on record stating that the Israeli Air Force had successfully struck a number of targets. This included an ammunition warehouse that was under the control of the Syrian Army. The warehouse was located in the province of Daraa, which is situated in the southern part of Syria. The information was subsequently carried by ‘The Times of Israel’, a well-known newspaper in the country.
In addition to the aerial attack, the IDF spokesperson elaborated that an artillery counteroffensive was initiated against the site believed to be the launch-point of several rockets fired on Friday towards the Golan Heights. However, the spokesperson clarified that these rockets did not manage to cross into Israeli territory.
This is not the first time that the IDF has retaliated against Syrian targets. On February 7, an Israeli attack against military targets in the Homs province, located in central Syria, resulted in nine casualties and left more than a dozen injured.
The Golan Heights region, which was effectively annexed by Israel in 1981, has been a bone of contention between the two countries for decades. The move has not found favor with the international community, which has not recognized the annexation.
Syrian authorities have been vocal in their criticism of Israel’s attacks on the Gaza Strip. They have expressed concern over the potentially “catastrophic repercussions” if Israel was to launch a military offensive against the city of Rafah. Such a move, they believe, would pose a significant threat to the security and stability of the region.
