20 Nov 2024 | 03:02 PM UTC
Syria: Suspected Israeli airstrikes kill at least 36 people in Tadmur (Palmyra) Nov. 20
Suspected Israeli airstrikes reportedly target Tadmur (Palmyra), Syria, Nov. 20. At least 36 people killed and 50 injured.
Syrian state media reported suspected Israeli airstrikes targeted residential buildings and the industrial zone in Tadmur (Palmyra) on Nov. 20. Reports indicate that at least 36 people were killed and over 50 others wounded. Significant material damage was also reported in the area. 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.
Emergency services personnel will likely deploy to impacted sites; transport disruptions are likely in affected areas. Military forces in northern Israel and Syria will likely 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.
Consider avoiding nonessential travel to Syria, particularly the shared border region with Lebanon and Israel, until the situation stabilizes. 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 issue further instructions.
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.
