DAMASCUS: An Israeli missile strike aimed at Iranian and Hezbollah targets killed 15 people and destroyed building in Damascus neighbourhood home to much of Syria’s security apparatus, war monitor said.

Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said strike, which hit close to an Iranian cultural centre had killed 15 people including civilians.

“Israeli missiles targeted sites including Iranian militias and Lebanese Hezbollah,” it added. During more than decade of war in Syria, Israel has carried out hundreds of air strikes against its neighbour, primarily targeting positions of country’s Army, Iranian forces and Hezbollah, allies of Damascus regime.

Sunday’s strike hit in Kafr Sousa, home to senior officials, security agencies and intelligence headquarters. Israeli enemy carried out an aerial aggression from direction of occupied Golan Heights targeting several areas in Damascus and its vicinity, including residential neighbourhoods,” Syria’s defence ministry said in statement.

Footage posted by state media showed that 10-storey building was badly damaged in attack, crushing structure of its lower floors.

“Strike is deadliest Israeli attack in Syrian capital,” said Rami Abdel Rahman, head of Britain-based Observatory, which has wide network of sources inside Syria.

Conflict in Syria started in 2011 with brutal repression of peaceful protests, and escalated to pull in foreign powers and global jihadists.

Published in The Daily National Courier, February, 20 2023

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