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Israel claimed its operations in southern Syria were in response to gunfire from gunmen, warning interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa that he would face significant consequences if Israel's security was threatened. The Israeli military has conducted extensive bombing campaigns against Syrian military assets since the ousting of the long-time leader Bashar al-Assad in November.
Authorities in Syria's southern province of Daraa reported that nine civilians were killed, with several others wounded due to Israeli shelling near the city of Nawa. The bombardment occurred amid Israel's most extensive ground incursion into southern Syria to date. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights noted that the deceased were local gunmen killed while attempting to confront Israeli forces in response to calls from mosques in the area for jihad against the incursion.
The Israeli military stated that its operations in the Tasil area, near Nawa, involved "seizing weapons and destroying terrorist infrastructure." A military spokesperson indicated that when several gunmen fired at Israeli forces, they responded by eliminating multiple armed terrorists from both the ground and air, with no Israeli casualties reported.
In February, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu demanded a complete demilitarization of southern Syria, making it clear that his government would not tolerate the presence of new Islamist-led government forces near Israeli territory. In December, Netanyahu ordered troops to enter the UN-patrolled buffer zone that separates Israeli and Syrian forces along the 1974 armistice line in the Golan Heights.
On Wednesday, Israel targeted various locations across Syria, including areas near Damascus. The Syrian foreign ministry claimed these strikes led to the near-total destruction of a military airport in the central province of Hama and resulted in numerous civilian and military injuries. In a statement, they condemned the strikes as an "unjustified escalation" designed to destabilize Syria and exacerbate the suffering of its population.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz issued a warning to President Sharaa, referring to him by the nom de guerre he used as an Islamist rebel commander. Katz warned that if hostile forces were allowed to enter Syria and threaten Israeli security, a "heavy price" would be paid. He emphasised that the recent air force activities served as both a clear message and a warning for the future.
The Israeli military confirmed that its forces targeted military capabilities at the Syrian military bases in Hama and T4, along with other military infrastructure sites in the Damascus area. A Syrian source indicated that the T4 airbase is of interest to Turkey, the new government's main foreign backer.
During a visit to Paris, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar criticised Turkey's involvement in Syria, asserting that Israel does not consider Syria a Turkish protectorate. Furthermore, Israel aims to prevent advanced weapons from reaching what it sees as jihadist authorities.
The Syrian foreign ministry stated that these strikes occurred as the country attempts to rebuild after 14 years of war, branding it a strategy to "normalise violence" within Syria. Jordan condemned Israel's repeated attacks as violations of the 1974 disengagement agreement and international law, while Qatar denounced the strikes as blatant violations of Syria's sovereignty. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas echoed concerns during a recent visit to Jerusalem, deeming the Israeli strikes "unnecessary" and potentially escalating tensions.
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