Israeli Military in Syria & the Gaza Strip

A child uses his mobile device in the ruins of a building in Beit Lahia, Gaza Strip on May 26th 2021. © Mohamed Zaanoun

Belligerent
Israeli Military
Country
Syria
start date
end date
Civilian Harm Status
Belligerent Assessment
Declassified Documents
Infrastructure

Incident Code

ISSY023

Incident date

June 10, 2022

Location

محيط دمشق, vicinity of Damascus, Damascus, Syria

Airwars assessment

At least one civilian was injured in alleged Israeli strikes on Damascus International Airport on June 10, 2022.

According to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), a Syrian regime-run source, one civilian was injured and material damage occurred from Israeli missile strikes. SANA added that the Syrian army air defenses downed most of the missiles and that the strikes occurred at 4:20am.

An image posted by @damascusv011 shows the fires that broke out from the airstrikes, adding that all flights in the airport had been suspended. The private Sham Wings airlines said it is diverting all its flights from Damascus to the Aleppo International Airport in the country’s north and an airport employee told Times of Israel “we had to postpone all flights for at least 48 hours and some flights have been rerouted through Aleppo airport.”

@mas2oul1specified that the two runways of the airport were destroyed, the first one destroyed during a previous strike and the second as a result of this incident. @obretix identified both runways as being hit in the airstrikes.

According to @IntelliTimes, the attacks occurred at a time “that would not endanger civilian landings”.

Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the Friday morning Israeli strike hit three arms depots for Iran-backed militiamen inside the airport, adding that the northern runway at the facility was damaged as was the observation tower.

All of the sources attributed the strikes to Israel, with Arabi 21 adding that the missiles came from the occupied Syrian Golan.

The incident occured at 04:20:00 local time.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Israeli Military
  • Suspected target
    Iranian military

Sources (15) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (4) [ collapse]

  • A picture of the fires that broke out at Damascus International Airport as a result of Israeli raids on June 10, 2022. (Image posted by @damascusv011)
  • "The two runways of Damascus International Airport are suspended due to the Israeli raids.. the first runway is a result of an attack on 5-22 last.. and the second is the result of an attack last night 10/9 June" (Image posted by @mas2oul1)
  • "The two runways of Damascus International Airport are suspended due to the Israeli raids.. the first runway is a result of an attack on 5-22 last.. and the second is the result of an attack last night 10/9 June" (Image posted by @mas2oul1)

Israeli Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Israeli Military
  • Israeli Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Israeli Military
  • Suspected target
    Iranian military

Sources (15) [ collapse]

Incident Code

ISSY034

Incident date

May 1, 2023

Location

حلب, al-Nayrab, Aleppo, Syria

Airwars assessment

On May 1st 2023, at around 11:35 pm, Israel allegedly conducted airstrikes southeast of Aleppo near al-Nayrab, reportedly injuring up to seven people, and killing between one to seven others. Two civilians were among those injured.

There were discrepancies amongst the casualty reports on how many of the affected were civilians as opposed to people actively involved in fighting. Syrian Arab News Agency, the Syrian-regime controlled news source, and military sources quoted in other media claim that two civilians and five military personnel were wounded in the incident and one soldier were killed. Multiple local sources posted a picture of an elderly civilian being treated for injuries. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights claimed that four regime forces and three fighters loyal to Iran were killed. Zaman al wasl also corroborated that Iranian militia were injured.

Baladi news identified three Syrian army forces killed, providing their names as Lieutenant Colonel Hassan Yunis Suleiman, Lieutenant Alaa Hussein Dayoub, and twenty five year old First Lieutenant Muhammad Fayez Melhem. Hassan Yunis Suleiman was a commander of an air defense system for the regime forces and hailed from the village of Sheikh Badr in Tartous governorate. Alaa Hussein came from the village of Bustan Al-Souj in the Tartous countryside, and Fayez Melhem came from the village of Sriji in the Sheikh Badr countryside.

According to Arabia News, the Israeli raids on Aleppo airport coincide with the imminent arrival of Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi to Syria.

The strikes also shut down the Aleppo International Airport and according to Idleb on Twitter, hit a foodstuff warehouse and a factory for sifting bulger as well as damaging residential houses in al-Nayrab on Al-Baqar Market Street. Arabia News reported that air to surface missiles were used.

The incident occured at 23:35:00 local time.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Israeli Military
  • Suspected targets
    Assad regime, Iranian military
  • Belligerents reported killed
    1–7
  • Belligerents reported injured
    5

Sources (15) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (12) [ collapse]

  • Fire caused by alleged Israeli strikes on Aleppo on May 1, 2023. (Image posted by @Step_Agency)
  • Images of a bulgar factory allegedly struck by Israeli airstrikes on May 1, 2023. (Image posted by @ShehabiFares)
  • Images of a bulgar factory allegedly struck by Israeli airstrikes on May 1, 2023. (Image posted by @ShehabiFares)
  • Images of a bulgar factory allegedly struck by Israeli airstrikes on May 1, 2023. (Image posted by @ShehabiFares)
  • Lt. Alaa Hussein Dayoub of the Air Defense Forces of the Syrian regime's army killed by alleged Israeli strikes in Aleppo on May 1, 2023. (Image posted by @mazen00711)
  • Graphic image of a civilian injured by alleged Israeli airstrikes in Aleppo on May 1, 2023. (Image posted by @19had93eel)
  • Lieutenant Colonel Hassan Yunis Suleiman, "commander" of one of the air defense systems killed by alleged Israeli strikes in Aleppo on May 1, 2023. (Image posted by @Omar_Madaniah)
  • One of the officers of the Syrian regime forces allegedly killed by Israeli strikes in Aleppo on May 1, 2023. (Image posted by Baladi News)

Israeli Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Israeli Military
  • Israeli Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Israeli Military
  • Suspected targets
    Assad regime, Iranian military
  • Belligerents reported killed
    1–7
  • Belligerents reported injured
    5

Sources (15) [ collapse]

Incident Code

TS524 ISSY025

Incident date

July 4, 2022

Location

هوشان, Hoshan, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

36.484055, 38.686187 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One to two civilians were reported killed and three others were injured, including two children, on July 4th 2022, when Turkish or Israeli shelling targeted the village of Al-Hoshan in the countryside of Ain Issa, Syria. The majority of the sources blamed Turkey for the attack but Sout Al Hayat reported that it was as a result of Israeli bombing.

According to local sources the civilian killed was Sheikh Mohammed, aged 25. The two injured children were reported to be Khaled Jabal Ahmed, aged 16, and Bouzan Ossi, aged 17. Hawar News also reported that Mohammed Buzan Sabri, aged 25, was injured as well. There is some conflicting information in different sources as Ahmad Al Aidan, a local source on Facebook reported that Buzan Ossi was killed, not injured like in previous reports. The SDF Press Center reported that the Turkish attack killed two civilians, Sheikh Mohammed and Bouzan Ossi, who died in hospital after being subjected to a severe head injury.  The third person reported injured was Cebel Ehmed, aged 16.

North Press Agency reported that the media center of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said that the village of Hoshan in the western countryside of Ain Issa district, was hit with artillery shelling by the Turkish forces and the SNA. North Press Agency put the death toll at two civilians and mentioned that two others were injured.

Ain Issa Plus reported that a tunnel digger was killed and two others were injured.

The SDF Press Center reported that this attack happened at 4pm and blamed Turkey.

The incident occured at 16:00:00 local time.

The victims were named as:

Sheikh Mohammed
25 years old male killed
Bouzan Ossi
17 years old male killed
Khaled Jabal Ahmed
16 years old male injured
Cebel Ehmed
16 years old male injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (0–1 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–3
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Turkish Military, Israeli Military

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    SDF Press Center reported that two civilians have been killed and two injured after Turkish shelling on July 4th 2022.

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Hoshan (هوشان), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.484055, 38.686187. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Turkish Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Turkish Military
  • Turkish Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Israeli Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Israeli Military
  • Israeli Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • (0–1 children)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–3
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Turkish Military, Israeli Military

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Incident Code

R4566

Incident date

October 5, 2023

Location

جسر الشغو, Jisr Al Shughour, west of Idlib, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

Around 5:56 in the evening of Thursday, October 5, 2023, a child and a woman were reportedly injured by missile strikes in the city of Jisr Al Shugour, in the western countryside of Idlib, Syria. The belligerent’s identity is contested, with some sources pointing towards Syrian regime forces, and one source, Ibrahim Radwan, identifying Russian and Iranian militias as responsible for the strike. The sources emphasized that this was a renewed attack on the city on that day.

Following the attack, the Syrian Civil Defence said in a post on Twitter/X that they had treated the two injured civilians. In a video shared with the post, the two civilians are seen bleeding and being taken into an ambulance.The name or age of the two civilians is unknown.

According to the tweet by Radio AlKul marked as urgent, the incident happened shortly before 5:56 PM local time.

The incident occured at approximately 5:56 pm local time.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Syrian Regime, Russian Military, Iranian Military

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

Syrian Regime Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Syrian Regime
  • Syrian Regime position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Russian Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military
  • Russian Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Iranian Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Iranian Military
  • Iranian Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Syrian Regime, Russian Military, Iranian Military

Sources (5) [ collapse]

Incident Code

ISSY024

Incident date

July 1, 2022

Location

سهل عكار, Sahel Akkar, Tartus, Syria

Airwars assessment

At least two civilians, including a woman, were injured in alleged Israeli strikes on Hamidiya town on July 2, 2022.

According to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), two civilians, including a woman, were injured and material damage was caused when Israeli missiles struck a number of poultry farms near Hamidiya town. A military source told SANA that “at 6:30 a.m. on Saturday, the Israeli enemy carried out an air missile aggression from over the Mediterranean Sea, west of the Lebanese city of Tripoli, targeting several poultry farms in the vicinity of Hamidiya town, south of Tartous.”

SANA provided the name of one of the victims: “Ali Rahmoun, from the village of al-Qubaiba, who suffered a broken leg in the attack, said that the Israeli missiles caused damage to his house and more than three kilometers of agricultural land planted with aborigines, in addition to two water wells.”

@TvIdlib reported that “dead and wounded” were a result of the Israeli airstrikes on “the positions of the Assad militia and the Iranian militias” but did not identify whether the casualties were civilians or militants.

SANA added that the airstrikes caused material damage to the irrigation and electricity networks, in addition to citizens’ private properties. The director of Water Resources of the province, Muhammad Mahrez, told SANA that the aggression destroyed three irrigation channels irrigating approximately 100 hectares, resulting in about 50 million Syrian pounds of damage, and the director of Electricity in the province, Abdel Hamid Mansour, indicated that, due to the aggression, the electrical network suffered great damage, including poles and electricity transmission lines. A citizen named Alaa Ibrahim, from the town of Al-Jamasa, explained that his loss due to the attack is 52 sheep and two cows, in addition to agricultural instruments, which are his only source of livelihood.

@TheSyrianTweet also reported damage to agricultural facilities, including damage to “8 greenhouses with a damage rate of 50-80%, two farms, a cow facility, and a number of farmers’ fields in the area planted with maize and some summer crops”.

A tweet from @SAMSyria0 reported that the sites that were hit by airstrikes “do not have any military character”. However, @AlHadath identified “facilities used by Hezbollah” as being the intended targets and Times of Israel reported that the strikes hit “a weapon transported by sea, possibly using Iranian ships that docked at the port last week” as part of Syria and Iran’s attempt to establish a new air defense system.

All of the sources attributed the strikes to Israel and @DagnyTaggart369 identified “four Israeli Air Force F-16 fighter jets” as being responsible.

The incident occured at approximately 6:30 am local time.

The victims were named as:

Ali Rahmoun
Age unknown male injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Agriculture
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Israeli Military
  • Suspected targets
    Hezbollah, Iranian military

Sources (14) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (23) [ collapse]

  • Damage caused by alleged Israeli airstrikes on Hamidiya town on July 2, 2022. (Image posted by Syrian Arab News Agency)
  • Damage caused by alleged Israeli airstrikes on Hamidiya town on July 2, 2022. (Image posted by Syrian Arab News Agency)
  • Damage caused by alleged Israeli airstrikes on Hamidiya town on July 2, 2022. (Image posted by Syrian Arab News Agency)
  • Damage caused by alleged Israeli airstrikes on Hamidiya town on July 2, 2022. (Image posted by Syrian Arab News Agency)
  • Damage caused by alleged Israeli airstrikes on Hamidiya town on July 2, 2022. (Image posted by Syrian Arab News Agency)
  • Damage caused by alleged Israeli airstrikes on Hamidiya town on July 2, 2022. (Image posted by Syrian Arab News Agency)
  • Damage caused by alleged Israeli airstrikes on Hamidiya town on July 2, 2022. (Image posted by Syrian Arab News Agency)
  • Damage caused by alleged Israeli airstrikes on Hamidiya town on July 2, 2022. (Image posted by Syrian Arab News Agency)
  • Damage caused by alleged Israeli airstrikes on Hamidiya town on July 2, 2022. (Image posted by Syrian Arab News Agency)
  • Damage caused by alleged Israeli airstrikes on Hamidiya town on July 2, 2022. (Image posted by Syrian Arab News Agency)
  • Damage caused by alleged Israeli airstrikes on Hamidiya town on July 2, 2022. (Image posted by Syrian Arab News Agency)
  • Alleged Israeli airstrikes on Hamidiya town on July 2, 2022. (Image posted by @SAMSyria0)
  • Alleged Israeli airstrikes on Hamidiya town on July 2, 2022. (Image posted by @SAMSyria0)
  • Alleged Israeli airstrikes on Hamidiya town on July 2, 2022. (Image posted by @SAMSyria0)
  • Damage caused by alleged Israeli airstrikes on Hamidiya town on July 2, 2022. (Image posted by @SAMSyria0)
  • Damage caused by alleged Israeli airstrikes on Hamidiya town on July 2, 2022. (Image posted by @SAMSyria0)
  • Damage caused by alleged Israeli airstrikes on Hamidiya town on July 2, 2022. (Image posted by @SAMSyria0)
  • Damage caused by alleged Israeli airstrikes on Hamidiya town on July 2, 2022. (Image posted by @SAMSyria0)
  • Damage caused by alleged Israeli airstrikes on Hamidiya town on July 2, 2022. (Image posted by @TheSyrianTweet)
  • Alleged Israeli airstrikes on Hamidiya town on July 2, 2022. (Image posted by @TvIdlib)
  • Alleged Israeli airstrikes on Hamidiya town on July 2, 2022. (Image posted by @TvIdlib)
  • Alleged Israeli airstrikes on Hamidiya town on July 2, 2022. (Image posted by @SteeleSyAA)
  • Alleged Israeli airstrikes on Hamidiya town on July 2, 2022. (Image posted by @SteeleSyAA)

Israeli Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Israeli Military
  • Israeli Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian infrastructure
    Agriculture
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Israeli Military
  • Suspected targets
    Hezbollah, Iranian military

Sources (14) [ collapse]

Incident Code

ISSY026

Incident date

July 6, 2022

Location

المرج, Al Marj, Quneitra, Syria

Geolocation

33.280500, 35.830590 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A 46 year old man was killed in alleged Israeli drone strikes on the town of Al Marj west of Hader on July 6, 2022. Sources were conflicted as to whether the man killed was a civilian or a member of Hezbollah or regime forces.

Shaam News reported that an Israeli drone killed “Farid Fouad Mustafa” in the area of Hadi’s quarry, adding that he was a member of the “Ba’ath Party” in his town and “he is known for his slander, his participation in a number of massacres and thefts, and his thirst for blood”.

Syrian Arab News Agency, the regime-controlled news agency, also reported that a young man was killed, referring to him as a civilian, and stating that he was killed near his home by an Israeli rocket while @AsharqNewsSYR stated that Mustafa was 46 years old and was killed when the bombardment hit his workplace.

However, @najlaasaadee identified Mustafa as being part of the auxiliary forces of the Syrian Army. @aabnour referred to Mustafa as being “a close associate of the Hezbollah militia” and then went on to say that he  ” is considered one of the personalities close to the Iranian militias and works with a group of elements in the trade and promotion of narcotics for their benefit”.

All of the sources that reported on the incident attributed the strikes to Israel, and @AsharqNewsSYR added that the drone came from the Syrian Golan.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 1
  • (0–1 men)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Israeli Military
  • Suspected targets
    Assad regime, Hezbollah, Iranian military
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–1

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • "Farid Fouad Mustafa", killed by an alleged Israeli drone strike on Al Marj on July 6, 2022. Sources were conflicted as to whether he was a militant of a civilian. (Image posted by @najlaasaadee)
  • "Farid Fouad Mustafa", killed by an alleged Israeli drone strike on Al Marj on July 6, 2022. Sources were conflicted as to whether he was a militant of a civilian. (Image posted by @aabnour)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the Al Marj (المرج) area, allegedly west of the town of Hader (حضر), in the vicinity of Hadi (هادي) quarry. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further. The generic coordinates for Hader are: 33.280500, 35.830590.

Israeli Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Israeli Military
  • Israeli Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 1
  • (0–1 men)
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Weak
    Single source claim, though sometimes featuring significant information.
  • Suspected attacker
    Israeli Military
  • Suspected targets
    Assad regime, Hezbollah, Iranian military
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–1

Sources (8) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS1383 ISSY001

Incident date

August 17, 2017

Location

الشجرة, Al Shajra, Daraa, Syria

Geolocation

32.774031, 35.883493 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Up to 27 civilians were reported killed in airstrikes on the town of Al Shajra in western Daraa.

According to Daraa Martyrs Documentation Center, 32 “mostly civilians” were killed when positions of Jaish Khalid bin Walid, a Salafi jihadist group, were targeted. The report claimed that the Coalition launched a long-range missile, which “targeted the Islamic Court of Khalid Bin Al-Waleed Army”.

Ten detainees who were held in the court’s prison were killed in the attack, according to the Center. It noted another 17 civilians who were killed as they were in the near vicinity of the strike. Five members of the “army Khalid bin Walid” were also reported killed.

Zaman al Wasl quoted a local activist who stated that four missiles struck the court, “likely targeting a meeting of leaders”. According to Enab Baladi, “The last of the group’s Emirs was Abu Tim Enkhl, who was killed yesterday (Thursday, August 17) by an air raid on the village of Al-Shajara in the Yarmouk basin.”

Shaam News reported that “activists said that the raid targeted the court and led to the martyrdom of a number of civilians who were imprisoned in the court on charges of belonging to the Free Syrian Army. A number of civilians were killed while in court for other reasons.”

Shaam added that “Many of the dead were killed in the prison, including relatives of the founder of the Yarmouk Martyrs’ Brigade, Muhammad Saad al-Din al-Baridi, known as the “Khal”, who established the presence of the brigade in the western countryside and was killed nearly two years previously in a suicide attack. His relatives had been jailed in the wake of internal disputes within the organization, after receiving information about their intention to carry out a military coup.”

Orient noted that either the Coalition or Israel was responsible for an attack on what it described as the “Khaled bin Al-Walid Army” in Sharja, but was alone in saying this. Al Shaam mentioned that Coalition raids led to “the deaths of a number of martyrs and wounded civilians” but did not identify a specific number of casualties.

The Coalition itself did not publicly report any raids on the province on this date.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    17 – 27
  • (1 man10 other protected persons)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Israeli Military
  • Suspected target
    Other
  • Belligerents reported killed
    5

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • Aftermath of reported Coalition or Israeli missile strike on al Sharja (via Mohamad Abazeed)
  • Aftermath of reported Coalition or Israeli missile strike on al Sharja (via Mohamad Abazeed)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Al Shajra (الشجرة), for which the generic coordinates are: 32.774031, 35.883493. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

CJTF–OIR Declassified Assessment and Press Release

Attached to this civilian harm incident is a provisional reconciliation of the Pentagon's declassified assessment of this civilian harm allegation, based on matching date and locational information.

The declassified documents were obtained by Azmat Khan and the New York Times through Freedom of Information requests and lawsuits filed since March 2017, and are included alongside the corresponding press release published by the Pentagon. Airwars is currently analysing the contents of each file, and will update our own assessments accordingly.

Declassified Assessment Press Release

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition

The Coalition did not publicly report any airstrikes in the Daraa governorate for August 16th-17th and Augustu 17th-18th.

French Military
  • English
    /
    Original

For Aug 9-15th, France report 2 strikes in Raqqah, Syria – and 13 artillery missions in Mosul.

French Military
  • English
    /
    Original

In the past week, (11th-18th) France conducted 27 sorties, including 22 armed reconnaissance and ground support (CAS), 1 refueling outlet and 4 intelligence gathering sorties by Atlantic 2 or Rafale patrols. Two strikes were carried out in the Raqqah region of Syria. They helped support the Syrian democratic forces in their offensive to retake the city.

‘OPÉRATION CHAMMAL SITUATION En Syrie, A Raqqah, la progression des forces démocratiques syriennes se poursuit. Au sud de la ville, la manœuvre de tenaille, amorcée il y a 15 jours, s’est achevée en fin de semaine dernière. Elle a permis de réaliser la jonction des fronts est et ouest. Depuis, les forces démocratiques syriennes ont relancé une offensive vers le centre de la ville mais elles font face à une défense acharnée des combattants de Daech. En Irak, Les forces de sécurité irakiennes poursuivent leurs opérations dans l’objectif de libérer, à terme, le nord de l’Irak. Actuellement, elles focalisent leur effort sur l’encerclement de la ville de Tall Afar. Les combattants de l’organisation terroriste réalisent un travail de valorisation de leurs positions défensives pour se préparer aux combats à venir alors que les populations tentent de fuir la ville. ACTIVITÉS DE LA FORCE Les soldats de l’opération Chammal poursuive leur mission d’appui au profit des unités irakiennes engagées contre Daech. Cette semaine, sur le théâtre, les aéronefs ont réalisé 27 sorties aériennes dont 22 de reconnaissance armée et d’appui au sol (CAS), 1 sortie de ravitaillement ainsi que 4 sorties de recueil de renseignement par Atlantique 2 ou patrouille de Rafale. Deux frappes ont été conduites dans la région de Raqqah en Syrie. Elles ont permis d’appuyer les forces démocratiques syriennes dans leur offensive pour reprendre la ville. La Task Force (TF) Wagram a mené de son côté 13 missions de tir en appui de la 15e division à l’ouest de Mossoul vers Tal Afar. En particulier, les artilleurs ont fourni des feux de harcèlement et d’éclairement pour interdire aux combattants de Daech de mener des actions au sol ou de réaliser des tirs indirects contre les positions irakiennes. Le bilan global de l’activité aérienne depuis le 19 septembre 2014 s’élève 1330 frappes, 2102 objectifs détruits et 6946 sorties. ‘

Israeli Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Israeli Military
  • Israeli Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    17 – 27
  • (1 man10 other protected persons)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    US-led Coalition, Israeli Military
  • Suspected target
    Other
  • Belligerents reported killed
    5

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Incident Code

ISSY027

Incident date

August 12, 2022

Location

الحميدية, Al Hamidiya, Al Qunaytirah, Syria

Geolocation

33.157384, 35.846972 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Town level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A reported Israeli forces attack targeted the town of Al-Hamidiya in the Quneitra countryside, in Al Qunaytirah, Syria, on August 12th 2022 which allegedly wounded at least two civilians.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an Israeli tank fired three shells when two people appoached the area and Step Agency reported that the Israeli forces fired at a military site belonging to the Hezmollah militia.

Shaam reported that “the Israeli occupation army radio said that the [Israeli military] attacked a site in Syra in Quneitra that was used by Hezbollah for surveillance, while Iranian sites said that the shelling targeted shepherds as they approached the disengagement zone, and another Russian said that the bombing targeted farmers near the buffer zone with Syria.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Israeli Military
  • Suspected target
    Hezbollah

Sources (12) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the town of Al Hamidiya ( الحميدية), for which the generic coordinates are: 33.157384, 35.846972. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Israeli Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Israeli Military
  • Israeli Military position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Cause of injury / death
    Heavy weapons and explosive munitions
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Israeli Military
  • Suspected target
    Hezbollah

Sources (12) [ collapse]