At least 14 people have been killed in Israeli airstrikes targeting several military sites in central Syria, according to Syrian state media. The Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported that the strikes took place near Masyaf in Hama province on Sunday night, leaving another 43 people injured, with the death toll including both civilians and soldiers.
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed the attacks, stating that Israeli missiles destroyed military and scientific facilities used by Iran-backed armed groups. The observatory reported at least four Syrian soldiers and three civilians were among those killed.
The Israeli military, adhering to its usual stance, did not comment on the strikes, but it has admitted in the past to conducting hundreds of airstrikes in Syria aimed at Iranian targets and its allied militias. These attacks have intensified since the war in Gaza escalated in October last year, which saw cross-border assaults on northern Israel by Hezbollah and other groups operating out of Lebanon and Syria.
SANA cited a Syrian military source who said Israeli jets launched the missiles from Lebanese airspace at around 23:20 local time. Syrian air defenses reportedly intercepted some of the missiles, though significant damage was still inflicted on local infrastructure, including a highway and the Hair Abbas area, where a fire broke out as a result.
The Syrian Observatory added that “13 violent explosions” were heard in the area housing scientific research centers in Masyaf, where pro-Iranian groups and weapons development specialists are based. The full extent of the damage is still being assessed, but the strikes mark another chapter in the ongoing regional conflict, exacerbating tensions between Israel, Iran, and their proxies.