28 Dec 2023 | 08:42 PM UTC
Syria: Suspected Israeli airstrikes reported in Damascus area late Dec. 28
Syrian air defenses respond to suspected Israeli airstrikes in Damascus area late Dec. 28. Additional cross-border attacks possible.
Syrian air defenses have reportedly activated in the vicinity of Damascus amid suspected Israeli airstrikes in the area late Dec. 28. While the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) did not immediately issue a public acknowledgment of the suspected cross-border attack, alleged Israeli airstrikes have regularly targeted bases of Iran-affiliated groups, such as Hizballah, across Syria.
Military forces in Syria and northern Israel will almost certainly maintain a heightened security posture over the coming days. Further airstrikes, retaliatory attacks, and exchanges of cross-border fire are possible over the short term.
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, take cover in the nearest bomb shelter and remain there until given further instructions by authorities.
Tensions between Syria and Israel remain extremely high. Israel has repeatedly expressed concerns about Iranian proxies in southwestern Syria and aims to prevent a major 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.
