Syria

Syria Says Israeli Air Strikes Injured 2 Soldiers

OCT 3 2023·Updated AUG 27

Story

Image credit: Wikimedia Commons

The Facts

On Monday, Israel reportedly launched an air attack on military posts in Syria's eastern Deir ez-Zor region, leading to "the injury of two soldiers and some material losses," according to Syrian state news agency SANA.
Al Jazeera
According to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, unidentified warplanes targeted three positions of Iranian-backed militias near the Syria-Iraq border.
Al Jazeera
This comes two days after the Israeli Defense Forces allegedly targeted an Iranian weapons shipment near Damascus en route to Lebanon.
Iran International
The airstrikes also come as tensions in Deir ez-Zor have escalated due to frequent clashes between the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, which controls eastern Deir ez-Zor, and local tribal militias.
Al Mayadeen English
In recent years, Israel has launched multiple airstrikes inside government-controlled Syria — including attacks on the Damascus and Aleppo airports — though it rarely acknowledges the operations.
FOX News
Israel often targets military infrastructure in Syria, reportedly to counter Iran's presence. Last month, Syria's state news agency claimed that Israeli airstrikes on the Mediterranean port city of Tartous killed two soldiers.
Reuters

Sources Split

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The Spin

Narrative A

Israel has been conducting airstrikes against suspected Iranian weapons transfers and personnel and its proxies in Syria for almost a decade. Though the strikes are part of a low-intensity conflict to slow Iran's growing entrenchment in Syria, the West has seemingly dropped its previous diplomacy plan to allow Israel and other allies to use military force to settle their grievances with Tehran. This risky strategy underestimates the potential magnitude and repercussions of a military escalation.

Foreign Affairs

Narrative B

Syria is a conflict zone involving multiple actors, potentially causing the "shadow war" to worsen. Meanwhile, Iran — in coordination with Russia and controlling much of the Syrian airspace — risks pushing the conflict over the edge. Israel has been clear that it won't permit Iran to freely move weapons and fighters through Syria if such activities threaten Israeli security. Israel has justified targeting Iranian assets in any country where Tehran has dug its tentacles.