23 Aug 2024 | 05:35 PM UTC
Syria: Air defense forces reportedly engage projectiles near Homs late Aug. 23
Syria's air defense forces reportedly intercept projectiles near Homs late Aug. 23; further cross-border attacks possible.
Suspected Israeli airstrikes targeted sites in the vicinity of Homs late Aug. 23. According to media outlets associated with the Syrian government, air defense forces reportedly intercepted incoming projectiles. There have been no immediate reports of casualties or significant material damage. 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 the Lebanese Hizballah, across Syria.
Military forces in northern Israel and Syria 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 remain high in the region. 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.
