Israel strikes missile depots, air defences in Syria’s Tartous area
Israel launched in a single day assaults on Syrian air defence programs and ammunition depots in its ongoing bid to disable the nation’s navy functionality following the latest removing of President Bashar al-Assad.
Conflict monitor, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), mentioned on Monday that Israel focused navy websites in Syria’s coastal Tartous area, together with air defence models and “surface-to-surface missile depots”, saying the assault featured “the heaviest strikes” within the space in additional than a decade.
“The explosions in Tartous have been extraordinarily loud,” mentioned Al Jazeera’s Resul Serdar, reporting from the Syrian capital, Damascus. “Some consultants are saying which may in all probability imply it was a chemical weapons manufacturing home.”
The concentrating on of Tartous was “essential”, given its function as a base for Syrian naval forces, he mentioned, including that the Israeli navy had obliterated “an entire fleet” simply three days earlier than.
In a single day, Israel additionally bombed websites in and round Damascus, notably across the Qasioun mountain, hitting “radar programs” and “air defence programs”, in accordance with Serdar.
Officers anticipated strikes on remaining “radar programs and battalions” to proceed over the approaching days, he mentioned.
The in a single day raids in Tartous and Damascus marked the most recent stage of an ongoing Israeli marketing campaign that has seen the navy pummel the nation with about 600 strikes within the eight days for the reason that fall of al-Assad.
“Israel is pursuing a method of diminishing this nation’s air defence functionality and in addition its air forces,” mentioned Serdar.
In parallel, Israeli troops have entered a United Nations-patrolled buffer zone that separated Israeli and Syrian forces on the Golan Heights, violating a 1974 armistice settlement.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s workplace has additionally introduced plans to extend the variety of settlers within the Golan Heights, which it has illegally occupied since 1967.
Ahmed al-Sharaa, the de facto head of Syria’s new administration, has mentioned the nation is in no place to enter any battle “as a result of there’s normal exhaustion in Syria”.
Individually, Syria’s Kurds, who run a semiautonomous administration within the northeast, referred to as for “a cease to navy operations over the complete Syrian territory with a purpose to start a constructive, complete nationwide dialogue”. In an announcement at a information convention in Raqa on Monday, the administration additionally prolonged a hand to the brand new authorities in Damascus.
Worldwide outreach
Amid assaults from Israel, the brand new administration has been making strides with worldwide “recognition”, mentioned Al Jazeera’s Serdar, alluding to the opening of embassies by Turkiye and Qatar, and up to date contact with US and UK officers.
European Union international coverage chief Kaja Kallas introduced on Monday she had instructed the bloc’s envoy to Syria to go to Damascus and make contact with the nation’s new authorities.
Western nations are cautious of the brand new management in Damascus, on condition that al-Sharaa’s Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group was beforehand affiliated with al-Qaeda.
The EU reduce ties with the al-Assad regime in Damascus in the course of the nation’s civil conflict, however remained a key donor of humanitarian support to assist native populations.
Kallas mentioned EU international ministers would talk about in Brussels “how we interact with the brand new management of Syria, and on what stage we interact”.
Geir Pedersen, the UN’s Syria envoy, met al-Sharaa in Damascus on Sunday, saying he hoped for a swift finish to the sanctions to assist facilitate financial restoration.
A Qatari delegation additionally landed in Syria on Sunday to fulfill transitional authorities officers and pledged “full dedication to supporting the Syrian folks”.
A French diplomatic group can also be due in Damascus on Tuesday to “retake possession of our actual property” and make “preliminary contact” with the brand new authorities, mentioned performing International Minister Jean-Noel Barrot.
In the meantime, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned his nation was coordinating on offering support together with wheat, flour and oil to Syria.
