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In an Israeli Raid.. "Nasrallah's" Brother-in-Law Killed in Damascus' Mezzeh District
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Continued Israeli raids on sensitive sites in the heart of the Syrian capital reveal the weakness of the Syrian air defense system and the inability of Damascus' allies to provide effective protection
A huge explosion shook the Mezzeh district in central Damascus Wednesday morning. Al Arabiya/Al Hadath sources revealed that Hassan Jafar Qusayr, the brother-in-law of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, was killed in an Israeli raid. Sources reported that Nasrallah's brother-in-law died immediately upon arriving on Syrian territory.
Qusayr is the brother of Hezbollah's prominent leader Mohammad Jafar Qusayr, who was eliminated on Tuesday in a similar air raid. The Israeli army announced that Mohammad Qusayr was the commander of "Unit 4400" in the party, responsible for transferring weapons and combat equipment from Iran and its allies to Hezbollah.
The Israeli army explained that Mohammad Jafar Qusayr was one of Hezbollah's most prominent leaders and active figures in the Iran-Hezbollah-Syria axis, and was closely connected to Tehran. He also oversaw the implementation of hundreds of operations to transfer strategic combat means to Hezbollah in Lebanon, and led the project to develop precision missiles for the party and enhance its directed firepower against the Israeli home front.
The Syrian regime's official television had earlier announced that Israel targeted a residential building in Damascus, resulting in 3 deaths and 3 injuries. This attack comes just hours after Israeli raids targeted the same neighborhood on Monday evening, killing 3 civilians, including a broadcaster, and injuring 9 others.
It's worth noting that the Mezzeh area in western Damascus, which has witnessed numerous incidents recently, contains many security and military headquarters, in addition to residences of prominent Palestinian and Iranian leaders, as well as a gathering of several embassies and international organizations.
The Mezzeh district extends over an area of 7,750 hectares, with an estimated population of about 90,000 people. The district includes many vital facilities, including the Republican Palace, Mezzeh Military Airport, a number of faculties affiliated with Damascus University, as well as modern commercial centers and sports facilities.
This strategic area has witnessed several notable incidents in the recent past, including the killing of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard's intelligence chief in Syria and his deputy in an Israeli raid last January.
The repeated Israeli targeting of Hezbollah leaders and their allies in the heart of the Syrian capital highlights the increasing weakness in the Syrian air defense system and poses significant challenges for the regime in Damascus in protecting its territories and allies.
This escalation also indicates a tangible shift in the Israeli strategy, aimed at delivering painful blows to Hezbollah and its supporters outside Lebanese territory, in an attempt to undermine their military and logistical capabilities and end what remains of the so-called "axis of resistance" in the region.
Levant-Agencies
