Syria: Israeli missile strikes in Damascus Governorate kill at least five fighters Oct. 30 /update 2

Event

Explosions in Damascus Governorate killed five fighters and wounded several others on Oct. 30. The explosions, which were reportedly caused by Israeli missiles, targeted Syrian government weapons caches and an arms shipment convoy on the outskirts of Damascus. The Israeli government has yet to comment on the strikes, while the Syrian government has blamed Israel and claimed that it intercepted several missiles.

Military forces in northern Israel and Syria will almost certainly maintain a heightened level of readiness in the coming days. Further retaliatory strikes or exchanges of cross-border fire are possible.

Context

Tensions between Syria and Israel remain extremely high. Israel has repeatedly expressed concerns over the presence of Iranian proxies in Syria and aims to prevent a build-up of Iranian-backed forces in the region. Since 2017, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has launched hundreds of preemptive strikes in Syria, targeting suspected Hizballah and Iranian-led fighters, weapons caches, and supply convoys.

Advice

Exercise caution and avoid all military sites in Syria. Heed the instructions of local security forces. If airstrikes, artillery fire, or warning sirens are reported in the general vicinity, report to the nearest bomb shelter until given further instructions by authorities.