Geolocation
Airwars assessment
Up to two children and a woman were injured in alleged Israeli airstrikes on Qudsaya suburb in Damascus on November 20th, 2019, according to local sources.
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, “a young woman was injured by shrapnel due to the Israeli shelling in Qudsaya suburb”. Reportedly, explosions were heard in the capital Damascus and its vicinity at 1:30 AM. Sources told the SOHR that “the explosions were caused by the regime’s air defenses while trying to intercept Israeli missiles that targeted positions of the regime and Iranian militias.”
Qasioun News wrote that “shrapnel from one of the missiles also hit a residential building in the Qudsaya suburb, west of Damascus, wounding a girl and causing extensive damage to the building.” According to Manal News, the girl was taken to Al Mouwasat Hospital for treatment.
The regime-controlled Syrian Arab News Agency reportedly spoke to residents of the targeted building. Iyad Al Mousawi, a resident of the building, stated: “At about 1:30 AM we felt a big shaking of the building and the sound of a strong explosion, and immediately I went to my children’s room. They were sleeping to find the flames of fire and thick smoke filling the place as a result of the shrapnel of a missile. I took them out and my wife, as one of them was injured.”
The SANA story indicated that there were two injured children, writing that “Mrs. Ahlam, the mother of the girl, who was injured in the other apartment within the damaged building, said: ‘After the smoke and dust disappeared, I saw my 17-year-old daughter crying out while she was soaked in her blood so that her father would take her to the Mouwasat Hospital in Damascus, where she is currently receiving treatment.'” Other sources only reported one injured girl.
Step News Agency reported Israeli strikes on military targets in Damascus, writing that their correspondent “confirmed that the Syrian regime’s positions were set ablaze in the vicinity of Mazzeh airport in Damascus. Ambulances and fire engines were heard there after the raids.” Local sources also reported that the Israeli raids around 1:30am also killed a family in Beit Sabir village (see event ISSY005).
Times of Israel reported that at least 23 fighters were killed in the Israeli strikes, 16 of them likely Iranians. France 24, quoting Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, put the number of fighters killed at 11, including seven foreign fighters. Neither source identified which location that fighters were killed in.
One of the casualties is believed to be the Basij fighter of the Revolutionary Guards, Ismail Ghulami-Yarahmadi, who was killed on November 20 in Syria, according to a tweet from Raz Zimmt, a professor at Tel Aviv University. A soldier in the Syrian regime army, Jaafar nour al-Deen, was also killed in the Israeli strikes but for both cases, it is unclear in which location they were killed.
Times of Israeli also pointed out that “video footage from Syria appeared to show a Syrian air defense missile crashing to the ground in a heavily populated area shortly after launching, which may account for some of the casualties” but provided no other specific information.
The IDF released a statement acknowledging the strikes they carried out on Syria, writing “#BREAKING: We just carried out wide-scale strikes of Iranian Quds Force & Syrian Armed Forces targets in Syria in response to the rockets fired at Israel by an Iranian force in Syria last night.” In their Hebrew language report, the IDF specifically refers to being carried out “in the Damascus area in the south and west and a small part also on the front.”
The incident occured at approximately 1:30 am local time.
The victims were named as:
Family members (2)
The victims were named as:
Summary
Sources (25) [ collapse]
Media
from sources (25) [ collapse]
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Damage to a home from Israeli strikes on the Qusdaya suburb of Damascus on November 20, 2021. (Image posted by @Dannymakkisyria)
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Damage to a home from Israeli strikes on the Qusdaya suburb of Damascus on November 20, 2021. (Image posted by @Dannymakkisyria)
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Damage to a home from Israeli strikes on the Qusdaya suburb of Damascus on November 20, 2021. (Image posted by @Dannymakkisyria)
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Damage to a home from Israeli strikes on the Qusdaya suburb of Damascus on November 20, 2021. (Image posted by @Dannymakkisyria)
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Workers clean up a home damaged from Israeli strikes on the Qusdaya suburb of Damascus on November 20, 2021. (Image posted by Syrian Arab News Agency)
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Damage to a home from Israeli strikes on the Qusdaya suburb of Damascus on November 20, 2021. (Image posted by Syrian Arab News Agency)
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Damage to a home from Israeli strikes on the Qusdaya suburb of Damascus on November 20, 2021. (Image posted by Syrian Arab News Agency)
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the Qusdaya suburb of Damascus on November 20, 2021. (Image posted by Syrian Arab News Agency)Siblings of the 17 year old girl who was injured in strikes on the Qusdaya suburb of Damascus on November 20, 2021. (Image posted by Syrian Arab News Agency)
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Damage to a home from Israeli strikes on the Qusdaya suburb of Damascus on November 20, 2021. (Image posted by Syrian Arab News Agency)
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Damage to a home from Israeli strikes on the Qusdaya suburb of Damascus on November 20, 2021. (Image posted by Syrian Arab News Agency)
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Damage to a home from Israeli strikes on the Qusdaya suburb of Damascus on November 20, 2021. (Image posted by Syrian Arab News Agency)
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Damage to a home from Israeli strikes on the Qusdaya suburb of Damascus on November 20, 2021. (Image posted by Syrian Arab News Agency)
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Mrs. Ahlam, the mother of the girl, who was injured in strikes on the Qusdaya suburb of Damascus on November 20, 2021. (Image posted by Syrian Arab News Agency)
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Iyad Al-Mousawi, a resident of one of the apartments in the damaged building in the suburb of Qudsaya. (Image posted by Syrian Arab News Agency)
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Damage to a home from Israeli strikes on the Qusdaya suburb of Damascus on November 20, 2021. (Image posted by Syrian Arab News Agency)
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Damage to a home from Israeli strikes on the Qusdaya suburb of Damascus on November 20, 2021. (Image posted by Syrian Arab News Agency)
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Mrs. Ahlam, with an image of her daughter Maysam, who was injured in strikes on the Qusdaya suburb of Damascus on November 20, 2021. (Image posted by Syrian Arab News Agency)
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Damage to a home from Israeli strikes on the Qusdaya suburb of Damascus on November 20, 2021. (Image posted by Syrian Arab News Agency)
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Damage to a home from Israeli strikes on the Qusdaya suburb of Damascus on November 20, 2021. (Image posted by Syrian Arab News Agency)
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Funeral for the Basij fighter of the Revolutionary Guards, Ismail Ghulami-Yarahmadi, who was killed on November 20 in Syria, according to a tweet from Raz Zimmt, a professor at Tel Aviv University. (Image posted by Raz Zimmt via Twitter)
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Funeral for the Basij fighter of the Revolutionary Guards, Ismail Ghulami-Yarahmadi, who was killed on November 20 in Syria, according to a tweet from Raz Zimmt, a professor at Tel Aviv University. (Image posted by Raz Zimmt via Twitter)
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Jaafar nour al-Deen, one of the #SAA soldiers killed in the Israeli strikes yesterday. He was not part of the Iranian revolutionary guard but a regular Syrian army soldier. (Image posted by @Dannymakkisyria)
Geolocation notes (3) [ collapse]
Reports of the incident mention a residential building being struck in the Qudsaya (قدسيا) suburbs, in the vicinity of Damascus (دِمَشْق). Analysing audio-visual material from sources, we have narrowed the location to the Third Island (الجزيرة الثالثة) area,in houses referred to as the Youth Dormitory (السكن الشبابي). The exact coordinates for this building are: 33.535944, 36.181175.
Israeli Military Assessment:
Original strike reports
Tonight (Tuesday), IDF fighter jets attacked dozens of military targets belonging to the Iranian Quds Force and the Syrian army. The targets included surface-to-air missiles, headquarters, weapons depots and military bases in Syrian territory.
The attack was carried out in response to the rocket launch by an Iranian force from Syrian territory into Israeli territory, with the intention of hitting Israeli territory. During it, Syrian surface-to-air missiles were fired despite a clear warning issued to avoid this fire.
"The framework for the IDF's activities is clear and the initiative, it is important to note, is in our hands," described the IDF spokesman, Hedi Zilberman. "24 hours ago, four rockets were fired and intercepted by Iron Dome batteries. We conducted an expedited combat procedure, along with a series of air force attacks we carried out tonight. The attack was extensive compared to the time it took place, it was carried out in the Damascus area in the south and west and a small part also on the front. "
The Iranian attack on Israeli territory yesterday is further and clear proof of the current Iranian purpose in Syria. This establishment poses a danger to Israel's security, regional stability and the Syrian regime. "As part of the operation, we acted against the host factor - the Syrian factor, and also against Quds Force for its variety of militias," the IDF spokesman added.
The IDF also considers the Syrian regime responsible for what is happening in its territory, and warns it against acting or allowing action against Israel. Such actions will provoke a sharp reaction.
The IDF will continue to act firmly and decisively against the Iranian establishment in Syria, and is highly prepared for a variety of scenarios and will continue to act as much as necessary for the security of the citizens of the State of Israel. "Yesterday we completed a large and extensive exercise that lasted two days with the participation of the Galilee Design and the Volcano Design."
The guidelines of the Home Front Command must be obeyed, which will be updated if necessary.