Israel strikes Syria in retaliation towards projectile attacks

Israel conducted a series of strikes overnight from Tuesday into Wednesday, June 4, 2025, targeting southern Syria, specifically aiming at weapons belonging to Syrian authorities.

The attacks, according to online media sources, followed reports that projectiles had been launched from Syrian territory towards Israel.

Although it was initially unclear who was responsible for firing the projectiles.

According to Syrian state news agencies and security sources, Israel’s strikes hit several locations in the Damascus countryside as well as in the Quneitra and Daraa regions.

These recent attacks come just days after an Israeli airstrike killed a civilian near a village in western Syria.

They were the first such incident in nearly a month, highlighting ongoing tensions between the two countries.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz explicitly held Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa accountable for the projectile launches.

Katz stated:

“We consider the president of Syria directly responsible for any threat and fire toward the State of Israel, and a full response will come soon.”

The minister’s statement signalled a readiness to escalate retaliatory measures.

In contrast, the Syrian foreign ministry issued a statement denying verification of the projectile attacks toward Israel.

It also reiterated that Syria neither has nor intends to pose a threat to any regional actor, according to the state news agency Sana.

The ministry also suggested that multiple parties might be seeking to destabilize the region for their own interests.

This implies that Syria may not be the true source of the aggression.

Amid these hostilities, there have been recent developments in Syria-Israel relations.

These include direct talks aimed at reducing tensions, a notable change, given the longstanding animosity and opposing positions both countries have held in Middle Eastern conflicts over decades.

Adding complexity to the situation, several Arab and Palestinian media outlets reported that a little-known faction, the Martyr Muhammad Deif Brigades, claimed responsibility for the projectiles fired on Tuesday.

The group appears to reference Muhammad Deif, Hamas’s military leader who was reportedly killed in an Israeli strike in 2024.

However, Reuters was unable to independently confirm the authenticity of this claim.

Earlier on the same day, Syrian state media reported an Israeli strike in the southern Daraa province.

The Syrian foreign ministry later described the attack as causing “significant human and material losses.”

Local residents in the Wadi Yarmouk area, situated west of Daraa near the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, reported Israeli mortar shelling.

This region has experienced escalating tensions in recent weeks.

These include Israeli military incursions into nearby villages, where residents claim they have been prevented from planting crops.

Israel has carried out a sustained campaign of aerial bombardment throughout Syria, targeting and destroying much of the country’s military infrastructure.

Since 1967, Israel has occupied the Syrian Golan Heights, a strategically important plateau.

In recent years, following the ousting of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s government in December and amid ongoing conflict,

Israel has taken additional territory citing concerns over the extremist elements among Syria’s new rulers and their potential threats.

These events underline the fragile and volatile state of affairs between Israel and Syria.

They are marked by periodic violence and deep-seated mistrust, despite attempts at diplomatic engagement.

The recent strikes, accusations, and responses reflect the complex interplay of regional power dynamics and ongoing conflicts.

It also reflects the broader security concerns that continue to influence the relationship between the two neighboring states.

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