03 Aug 2024 | 12:39 PM UTC
Syria: Suspected Israeli airstrike reported outside of Damascus on Beirut-Damascus highway Aug. 3
Suspected Israeli airstrike reported on Beirut-Damascus highway outside of Damascus, Syria, Aug. 3. Further cross-border attacks possible.
A suspected Israeli airstrike reportedly targeted a car on the Beirut-Damascus highway, 20km (13 miles) outside of Damascus, Syria, on Aug. 3. 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-affiliated infrastructure and personnel across Syria.
Emergency services personnel will probably deploy to the impacted site; 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 area where the strike occurred until authorities give the all-clear. Plan for localized disruptions and seek alternative routes to circumvent the impacted area. Heed all official directives.
Tensions between Israel, Iran, and Tehran-aligned Syria are high. This is the latest in a string of recent cross-border acts of violence. On July 15, the IDF reportedly launched a targeted strike against a vehicle in the As'Saboura area of Syria near the Lebanese border, killing at least two people, including Mohammad Baraa Al-Qaterji, who is a prominent Syrian businessman with close ties to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
