28 Feb 2024 | 07:17 PM UTC
Syria: Air defenses reportedly engaging 'enemy targets' in vicinity of Damascus as of late Feb. 28
Syrian air defenses reportedly engaging 'enemy targets' in vicinity of Damascus, Syria, as of late Feb. 28; transport disruptions likely.
Syrian authorities have claimed that the country's air defenses have confronted "enemy targets" in the vicinity of Damascus late Feb. 28. The reporting is likely linked to Israeli airstrikes in the area. While the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) did not immediately issue a public acknowledgment of the suspected cross-border attack, it has regularly targeted Syrian and Iranian military infrastructure across Syria, including in Damascus.
Emergency services personnel will likely deploy to impacted sites; transport disruptions are likely in affected areas. 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.
Avoid the impacted sites until authorities give the all-clear and vacate the areas. 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 authorities give further instructions. Maintain contact with diplomatic representations.
Tensions between Israel, Iran, and Tehran-aligned Syria are high, and the suspected Feb. 28 Israeli airstrikes will likely exacerbate the situation. 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.
