Syria: Suspected Israeli airstrikes kill nine people, including five soldiers, near Damascus April 27 /update 1

Event

Suspected Israeli airstrikes near Damascus have killed nine people, including five Syrian soldiers, and wounded several others April 27. Syrian air defenses responded to airstrikes that targeted sites around Damascus earlier in the day. While Israel does not tend to claim these airstrikes publicly, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has regularly conducted similar actions against Syrian government forces and Iran-backed fighters in Syria.

Military forces in northern Israel and Syria will almost certainly maintain a heightened readiness level over the coming days. Further airstrikes, retaliatory attacks, and exchanges of cross-border fire remain possible over the short term.

Context

Tensions between Syria and Israel remain extremely high. Israel has repeatedly expressed concerns about Iranian proxies in Syria and aims to prevent a build-up of Iran-backed forces in the region. Since 2017, the IDF has launched hundreds of preemptive strikes in Syria, targeting suspected Hizballah and Iran-led fighters, weapons caches, and supply convoys, primarily in the country's southwestern governorates.

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.