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An Israeli airstrike killed at least five gunmen in southern Syria on Tuesday after the group opened fire at Israeli troops across the border in the Golan Heights, the Israeli military said.
The gunmen fired on Israeli forces operating in the buffer zone near the Yarmouk River, in the southern part of the Syrian Golan Heights. Israeli troops were not hurt in the exchange and called in air support, which carried out the strike, the military said.
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Attacks in the Daraa province
According to Syrian media, the incident took place in the village of Kuwaya in the Daraa province. Reports varied on the number of fatalities, with pro-Hezbollah outlet Al Mayadeen reporting six deaths, while other sources said five or seven. The strike marked the highest number of Syrian casualties since the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) began operating in the area nearly four months ago.
The targeted area was once controlled by a radical Islamic State affiliate, according to the Israeli military.
Earlier Tuesday, the Israeli Air Force conducted additional strikes deeper inside Syria, hitting military infrastructure at the T4 and Tadmur airbases. The Israeli military said the strikes targeted “military capabilities” that had been monitored in recent weeks and were linked to the Assad regime. The airbases have previously been used by Iranian forces, with the approval of Syrian President Bashar Assad.
The latest strike followed an earlier operation over the weekend in which Israeli jets targeted remaining strategic assets at the same airfields. Israeli officials said the operations were part of a broader effort to maintain air superiority and prevent a renewed military buildup in Syria.
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Israel has intensified military activity in Syria since the collapse of the Assad regime in December. Israeli forces have moved into the Syrian side of the buffer zone, including parts of Mount Hermon. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz have called for the full demilitarization of the area south of Damascus.
Some Israeli strikes have also aimed to prevent the entrenchment of Palestinian militant factions in Syria, particularly under the country’s new jihadist leadership headed by Ahmad al-Sharaa.