Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition organization based in London, reported Thursday evening that at least 82 terrorists and commanders in the pro-Iranian militias and the Lebanese Hezbollah organization were killed in the unusual attack in Syria attributed to Israel in Tadmor. According to the group, 56 of the dead are Syrians affiliated with the pro-Iranian militias, and 22 are of non-Syrian nationality, most of them from the pro-Iranian Iraqi al-Nujaba militia. Next to them, four Hezbollah members also were killed.
If the reports are correct, it appears that this is a message to Syrian President Bashar Assad, who is hosting senior members of Hezbollah, and therefore Israel is increasing the pressure on the terrorist organization, precisely at the height of negotiations toward a cease-fire, and maximizing success in hitting it not only in Lebanon.
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Syrian report of an Israeli attack targeting the town of Tadmor in the eastern countryside of Homs
Najat Rochdi, the UN's special deputy envoy for Syria, expressed concern about the escalation in the region, telling the UN Security Council that "the Israeli attacks are probably the deadliest that have hit Syria so far." According to her, "Israeli attacks in Syria have increased significantly, both in frequency and scope."
She pointed out that Israel says its attacks are aimed at targets related to Iran, Hezbollah or the Islamic Jihad, but in practice "there are civilian casualties, including in large attacks on residential areas in the heart of Damascus" that took place recently. She also expressed concern about the "volatile situation" in the Golan Heights and northwestern Syria, and clarified that "this year is on track to be the most violent in Syria since 2020, and the risk of even greater destruction is still on the horizon."
After Wednesday's attack, which targeted the city of Tadmor in the Syrian desert, the Ministry of Defense in Syria claimed that Israel attacked from the air from the area of the American military base at Tanaf, which is located in the Syria-Jordan-Iraq border triangle. The ministry has so far reported only 36 deaths, in contrast to the number stated by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, and also significant material damage to the buildings that came under attack and their surroundings.
In the report, the Syrian Observatory stated that the attack was aimed at three separate sites in the city of Tadmor, two of them in the Al-Jamaiya neighborhood; One of the sites is a weapons depot near an industrial area. The area reportedly is home to families of pro-Iranian activists who have Iraqi citizenship. And in the third site that was attacked, according to the Syrian Observatory, there was a meeting of leaders from the pro-Iranian militias who are in Tadmor, including senior officials from the pro-Iranian Iraqi al-Nujaba militia and a leader from Hezbollah.
Meanwhile, an IDF force arrested a Syrian suspect on Thursday who breached the border fence into the southern Golan Heights. The suspect did not stop when ordered to by the soldiers, who shot him in the leg. He was then transferred to Ziv Hospital in Safed for further treatment and investigation, according to the IDF.
The Syrian radio station "Sham FM" commented on the incident, and claimed that the IDF "kidnapped a 63-year-old civilian who was herding cattle in the area between Syria and Israel, which is under the control of the United Nations, west of the village of A-Rapid in the southern countryside of Quneitra."
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