In Mezzeh.. Ongoing Israeli Targeting of Iranian Centers in the Syrian Capital
The repeated targeting of areas under Syrian regime control reflects the deepening Iranian infiltration into state structures, exposing civilians to the consequences of regional conflict
October 9, 2024, 1:28 am

In Mezzeh.. Ongoing Israeli Targeting of Iranian Centers in the Syrian Capital

انفجار استهدف مبنى في حي المزة بـ دمشق

Israel launched a new airstrike on Tuesday targeting the Mezzeh district in Damascus, known for hosting Iranian and Hezbollah influence centers. The Syrian regime's defense ministry reported that 9 civilians were killed, including women and children, and 11 others were wounded, in what it described as an "initial toll" of the attack.

The regime's defense ministry stated in its announcement: "The Israeli enemy launched an aerial aggression with three missiles from the direction of the occupied Syrian Golan, targeting one of the residential and commercial buildings in the densely populated Mezzeh district in Damascus." It added that work is ongoing "to rescue others from under the rubble."

Footage from the strike site showed extensive damage to the targeted building, with the first three floors completely destroyed, in addition to damage to more than 20 cars in the area. One of the building's residents, electrician Adel Habib (61 years old), likened what he felt to "Judgment Day."

Iranian television and the Iranian embassy in Damascus denied the presence or death of any Iranian officials at the target site. However, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the raid targeted a building linked to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and Hezbollah, indicating the death of seven people, including two of non-Syrian nationalities.

This attack comes in the context of a notable Israeli escalation in Syria and Lebanon in recent days. Israel has intensified its targeting of points near the border crossings between Syria and Lebanon, which have seen tens of thousands of refugees crossing, fleeing from intense Israeli raids on Lebanon.

This raid is the latest in a series of Israeli attacks on the Mezzeh district, which is considered one of the most important centers of Iranian influence in Damascus. The district houses several security and military headquarters, as well as residences for prominent Palestinian and Iranian leaders, making it a frequent target for Israeli operations.

Israel continues its campaign against the Iranian presence in Syria, affirming its determination to prevent Tehran from consolidating its military presence in the region. These repeated operations raise questions about the Syrian regime's inability to protect civilians in areas under its control amid multiple foreign interventions.

It's worth noting that the Mezzeh district has witnessed similar incidents in the past, including the killing of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard's intelligence chief in Syria and his deputy in an Israeli strike last January. Additionally, at least four people were killed, including Hassan Qusair, the son-in-law of Hezbollah's late Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah, in an Israeli raid in the same district last week.

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