Israeli Military in Syria & the Gaza Strip

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

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Incident Code

CS1938 ISSY007 RS4199

Incident date

November 25, 2019

Location

ترحين, Tarhin, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.516944, 37.541389 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Three civilians were reportedly killed in alleged Russian, Syrian regime, Israeli or US-led Coalition airstrikes on Tarhin village, Aleppo governorate, on November 25th, 2019, according to local sources. An unknown number of civilians were wounded.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, “local sources said that six explosions were heard in different areas, and the sources confirmed that the raids targeted the Al-Haraqat area near Tarhin village, Al Burj village and the southern part of Jarabulus city.” The SOHR added that there were reports of injured civilians in Tarhin.

Smart News Agency said that “three people were killed and another was missing as a result of the shelling by unknown warplanes of oil burners near the village of Tarhin in the Al Bab area, east of Aleppo city in northern Syria.”

There were conflicting claims against the Coalition, Israel, Russia and the Assad regime. According to Baladi News, “there was a discrepancy in information about the identity of the aircraft, whether they were Russian or belonging to the international coalition.” Sources reported that the Turkish army and/or Turkish-backed factions were the target.

A tweet from @putintintin1 referred to an “unknown warplane (believed to be UAV) targeted a truck near Tarhin”.

@osama_sy87 tweeted a video, writing that “Russian airstrikes targeted oil burners in Tarhin village of Al Bab countryside, north of Aleppo, which resulted in deaths and injuries of burners workers, as well as shelling of oil burners and tanks in Al Kousa village of Jarablus countryside, east Aleppo.”

A Syrian PC correspondent reported that “a number of oil burners in the village of Tarhin of the city of Bab east of Aleppo were killed and others were injured after Russian aircraft targeted three oil tanks in the village.”

Effect News posted a video of Syrian Civil Defence volunteers recovering the heavily charred bodies of the victims a day after the strikes. The SCD themselves wrote that “three people were found dead by Civil Defense teams as they inspected the area that was hit by aerial bombardments yesterday evening in Tarhin village east of Aleppo.”

Step News Agency reported that, according to a private source, “telephone conversations took place on Tuesday, the nineteenth of this month [November], between the Israeli Foreign Affairs Minister, Yisrael Katz, and the co-chairperson of the Executive Committee of the Democratic Council ‘Syria’, Ilham Ahmed.”

According to the informant, “the two sides agreed during the contacts on the principle of oil for protection, that is, Israel’s access to Syrian oil located in areas controlled by the militia ‘SDF’ northeast of the country, in return for securing protection for the militia, and pressure on Turkey regarding its military operation Peace Spring”, implying that Israel had been responsible for the strikes on Tarhin villages.

The source added that “the raid on the oil burning areas was aimed at sending a message to the opposition factions supported by Turkey, and behind Turkey, not to extend too much in the areas of Operation Peace Spring.”

Zaman Al Wasl reported that, according to a private military source, the Coalition had been responsible for the strikes. In their August 2020 civilian casualty report, the US-led Coalition assessed reports of civilian harm in this strike as “non-credible”, stating that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area at that time.

The incident occured during the night.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–2
  • 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
    Russian Military, US-led Coalition, Israeli Military, Syrian Regime
  • Suspected target
    Other

Sources (55) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (18) [ collapse]

  • Translation: “The effects of the bombing of the diesel burners two days ago in # Terhin, north of Aleppo. Of course, the Syrian regime falsely claimed that it bombed a column of Kurdish tanks that were smuggling Syrian oil to Erbil via Jarablus, to be smuggled later from Erbil to Turkey. You understand! ? The bombing was Turkish, and the target was political and economic” (via @CihadKoro).

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    SCD found bodies of civilians killed in Tahrin. (via SCD)

  • This media contains graphic content. Click to unblur.

    SCD found bodies of civilians killed in Tahrin. (via SCD)
  • SCD found bodies of civilians killed in Tahrin. (via SCD)
  • SCD found bodies of civilians killed in Tahrin. (via SCD)
  • SCD found three bodies of civilians killed in Tarhin (via Orient)
  • SCD found three bodies of civilians killed in Tarhin (via Orient)
  • Translation: “Video documents Russian air strikes targeting oil burners in Tarhin village of Al Bab countryside, north of Aleppo, which resulted in deaths and injuries of burners workers, as well as shelling of oil burners and tanks in Al Kousa village of Jarablus countryside, east Aleppo” (via @osama_sy87).
  • 1. “Translation: From the northern countryside of Aleppo. Warplanes are likely Russian. Shelling multiple areas in the northern countryside of Aleppo. Knew them burners in Tarhin north of the city of Bab 15 km and Kusa south of Jarablus” (via @naserhmedi).
  • Translation: “Warplanes bombard oil burners in Aleppo countryside” (via Enab Baladi).
  • Translation: “An unknown bombardment is likely that the Russian occupation affects oil burners northeast of Aleppo” (via OrientTV).
  • Syrian Civil Defence volunteers putting out fire after alleged Russian, Israeli or Coalition airstrikes on Tarhin village on November 25th, 2019 (via Syrian Civil Defence Aleppo).
  • Syrian Civil Defence volunteers extinguishing fire after alleged Russian, Israeli or Coalition airstrikes on Tarhin village on November 25th, 2019 (via Syrian Civil Defence Aleppo).
  • Syrian Civil Defence volunteers putting out fire after alleged Russian, Israeli or Coalition airstrikes on Tarhin village on November 25th, 2019 (via Syrian Civil Defence Aleppo).
  • Syrian Civil Defence volunteers attending to fires after alleged Russian, Israeli or Coalition airstrikes on Tarhin village on November 25th, 2019 (via Syrian Civil Defence Aleppo).

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention multiple strikes on oil refineries in the area west of the village of Tarhin (ترحين). The coordinates for the village are: 36.516944, 37.541389

  • Reports of the incident mention the oil refineries in the area west of the village of Tarhin (ترحين) being struck.

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

Russian Military Assessment:

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

US-led Coalition Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    US-led Coalition
  • US-led Coalition position on incident
    Non credible / Unsubstantiated
    Insufficient information to assess that, more likely than not, a Coalition strike resulted in civilian casualties.
  • Reason for non-credible assessment
    No Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SCA693422
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Aug 22, 2020

  • Nov. 25, 2019, near Tarhin, Syria, via Airwars report. After a review of all available records it was assessed that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area that corresponds to the report of civilian casualties. 3134/CS1938 37SCA693422

Israeli Military Assessment:

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

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–2
  • 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
    Russian Military, US-led Coalition, Israeli Military, Syrian Regime
  • Suspected target
    Other

Sources (55) [ 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

ISSY-200119-A

Incident date

January 20, 2019

Location

دمشق, Damascus, Syria

Airwars assessment

An alleged Israeli air strike hit Damascus airport the morning of January 10, 2019.

According to Step News Agency, “Israeli warplanes launched several raids on the southern region on Sunday afternoon, following an explosion that rocked the capital Damascus this morning targeting a military checkpoint and a security detachment near the southern stronghold.”

Free Deir Ezzor also added “Israeli raids targeting the capital Damascus and the target area is Al Kuswa south of Damascus.”

The Times of Israel reported “local Syrian media said the targets of strike were in Damascus International Airport and in the town of al-Kiswah” and that the “Russian military…reiterated the Syrian claims, saying the incoming attack had been blocked by the country’s air defenses.” Russian media also claimed “The airport’s infrastructure was not damaged. There are no victims, and no damage.”

Time of Israel also added “according to Syrian opposition media, approximately 10 missiles were fired at targets near the airport and in al-Kiswah. “Warehouses containing weapons for Syrian regime ally Hezbollah and Iranian fighters are located in that area,” said Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor.”

Ynet reported that the “Russian army in Syria said it was Israeli planes that launched air-to-surface missiles over the Mediterranean Sea, towards targets in the area of Damascus International Airport.” In addition, “At the time of the strike, an Iranian passenger/cargo plane was coming in for landing at Damascus International Airport. The plane belonged to the Iranian aviation company Mahan Airlines.”

There were no casualties among civilians or belligerents reported.

The incident occured in the morning.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Suspected attacker
    Israeli Military
  • Suspected target
    Iranian military

Sources (6) [ collapse]

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
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Suspected attacker
    Israeli Military
  • Suspected target
    Iranian military

Sources (6) [ 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

ISSY016

Incident date

April 24, 2021

Location

بانياس, Off the coast of Baniyas, Tartus, Syria

Geolocation

35.252280, 35.918130 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (other) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least three young men on an oil tanker were killed in alleged Israeli drone strikes off the coastal city of Baniyas on April 24, 2021 according to local sources.

A tweet from @SAMSyria0 reported that “the body of the young man, Ahmed Amin, from Arwad Island – Tartous, who is a crew member of the targeted ship, has been found. The search is still going on for the victims: the young man, Ahmed Mohammed, from the village of Balgons – Baniyas and the young Muhammad Hussein Yassin – Aleppo.”

A later tweet from @SAMSyria0 adds that “the young Ahmed Wafiq Muhammad, 18 years old, from the village of Balgons – Banias Tartous” has been identified as being killed on the oil tanker.

A Facebook post from Samaher Nasif added that Muhammad Hussein Yassin – Aleppo was also killed on the oil tanker.

Tik Debka reported that “other sources are clears that in the attack 4 of the crew of the tanker were killed, three of them Syrians.”

According to Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, there was “an explosion in an oil tanker coming from Iran, near the oil refinery in the coastal city of Banias.” At the time of their reporting, “it was not known whether the explosion was caused by a drone attack or naval attack on an oil tank within the tanker. The explosion caused fire and material damage, but no casualties have been reported.” SOHR later added that three Syrian people had died in the “burning of a fuel tank inside the Iranian oil tanker,” adding that “it is not known whether they are among the cadres working within the tanker.”

“The director of the observatory, Rami Abdel-Rahman, told Agence France-Presse, “At least three people were killed, two of them were crew members” in the attack, which caused a fire in one of the tanker’s tanks.”

Multiple sources, including the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency, alleged that the explosion was caused by a drone coming from Lebanese territorial waters but that the identify of the belligerent responsible was unknown.

According to a tweet from @NorsForStudies citing Russia Today, Moscow claimed that the tanker was not targeted and that the fire that broke out was due to negligence; Iran denied that the tanker belonged to them and identified it as being Lebanese; and the Syrian regime identified the tanker as being Iranian and blamed Israel for the strike.

@OQBAH33 attributed a drone strike to Israel and identified the tanker as belonging to Iran. A tweet from @IntelliTimes reported that Israel denied any connection to the attack on the tanker.

France 24 reported that according to Iranian media, the oil tanker was “one of three Iranian tankers that arrived shortly before at the Syrian oil port of Banias.” However, other sources contested whether the tanker was Iranian, with Reuters quoting TankerTrackers, who said in a tweet that “the tanker seen burning today off the coast of Baniyas is not an Iranian vessel”, but Beirut-registered and the semi-official news agency Tasnim denied it was Iranian.

CNN included details that “The “Al-Ahlam” channel quoted unidentified sources as saying that the tanker was targeted “with two projectiles, one of which hit the front of it, leaving partial damage, and the other hit its roof and caused more damage.”

The Israeli military declined to comment on the incident. @obretix geolocated this incident.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Ahmed Amin احمد امين
Age unknown male from Arwad Island - Tartous killed
Ahmed Wafiq Muhammad احمد وفيق محمد
18 years old male from the village of Balgons - Banias Tartous killed
Muhammad Hussein Yassin حمد حسين ياسين
Age unknown male from Aleppo killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Drone Strike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    3 – 4
  • (3 men)
  • 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 (33) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (13) [ collapse]

  • Caption translation: The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has monitored an explosion in an oil tanker coming from Iran, near the oil refinery in the coastal city of Banias. According to sources, the fires are unlikely to be caused by a technical failure. It was not known whether the explosion was caused by a drone attack or naval attack on an oil tank within the tanker. The explosion caused fire and material damage, but no casualties have been reported. It has not been conclusively confirmed whether the attack was carried out by a drone from Lebanese territorial waters, while the identity of the attackers remained unknown.
  • Caption translation: Firefighting teams on Saturday managed to put out fire that erupted in one of tanks of oil tanker near oil downstream in Banias in Tartous. The Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources said in a statement that a fire that erupted in one of tanks of oil tanker is believed to be an attack by a drone coming from the direction of Lebanese territorial waters. The Ministry noted that the Firefighting teams were able to extinguish the fire fully. (Images posted by Syrian Arab News Agency)
  • Caption translation: Firefighting teams on Saturday managed to put out fire that erupted in one of tanks of oil tanker near oil downstream in Banias in Tartous. The Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources said in a statement that a fire that erupted in one of tanks of oil tanker is believed to be an attack by a drone coming from the direction of Lebanese territorial waters. The Ministry noted that the Firefighting teams were able to extinguish the fire fully. (Images posted by Syrian Arab News Agency)
  • Caption translation: Firefighting teams on Saturday managed to put out fire that erupted in one of tanks of oil tanker near oil downstream in Banias in Tartous. The Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources said in a statement that a fire that erupted in one of tanks of oil tanker is believed to be an attack by a drone coming from the direction of Lebanese territorial waters. The Ministry noted that the Firefighting teams were able to extinguish the fire fully. (Images posted by Syrian Arab News Agency)
  • Caption translation: A car bomb exploded a short while ago in Baniyas, and there were reports of a drone attack on an oil tanker from the direction of Lebanese territorial waters. (Images posted by @SAMSyria0)
  • Caption translation: A car bomb exploded a short while ago in Baniyas, and there were reports of a drone attack on an oil tanker from the direction of Lebanese territorial waters. (Images posted by @SAMSyria0)
  • Caption translation: The martyrdom of the young Ahmed Wafiq Muhammad, 18 years old, from the village of Balgons - Banias Tartous, in the death of the attacking of the enemy of the oil tanker. (Image posted by @SAMSyria0)
  • At least three young men working on an oil tanker were killed in alleged Israeli drone strikes on the coastal city of Baniyas on April 24, 2021 according to local sources. (Image posted by Samaher Nasif)
  • Caption translation: The death of the young man, Mahmoud Muhammad Amin, on board the tanker that was hit by a target of an enemy (no official statement confirms that it was an accidental accident) off the mouth of the oil in Banias. (Image posted @SAMSyria0)
  • Caption translated: Pictures from the oil tanker WISDOM carrying the Panama flag, which was involved in an accident yesterday near Baniyas. New reports deny that it was targeted by a drone aircraft and say that the reason was caused by an electrician, but there is no official statement from the Syrian M (Images posted by @SAMSyria0)
  • Caption translated: Pictures from the oil tanker WISDOM carrying the Panama flag, which was involved in an accident yesterday near Baniyas. New reports deny that it was targeted by a drone aircraft and say that the reason was caused by an electrician, but there is no official statement from the Syrian M (Images posted by @SAMSyria0)
  • Caption translated: Pictures from the oil tanker WISDOM carrying the Panama flag, which was involved in an accident yesterday near Baniyas. New reports deny that it was targeted by a drone aircraft and say that the reason was caused by an electrician, but there is no official statement from the Syrian M (Images posted by @SAMSyria0)
  • Alleged Israeli strikes on an oil tanker off the coast of Syria. (Image posted by Israel Hayom)

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention a fire on an oil tanker named Wisdom, off the coast of Baniyas (بانياس). According to research conducted by @obretix, checked and confirmed by our geolocation team, the exact coordinates for this tanker are: 35.252280, 35.918130.

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
    3 – 4
  • (3 men)
  • 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 (33) [ collapse]

Incident Code

ISSY008

Incident date

December 21–22, 2019

Location

المنطقة الواقعة بين سات زينب وعقربا, Area between Sat Zaynab and Aqraba, Rural Damascus, Syria

Geolocation

33.437222, 36.361828 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

At least three people were killed in alleged Israeli strikes between Sayyida Zainab and Aqraba on December 21-22, 2019. Sources are conflicted as to whether those killed were militants or civilians.

Local sources reported that Israeli missiles – either launched from a ship in the Mediterranean or via an airstrike – landed on the Sayyeda Zainab area of rural Damascus on December 21st-22nd, 2019, killing General ‘Haj Ali’, who was believed to be a leader in the ranks of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, and his entire family. The Iranian Fars News Agency, however, denied reports that General Haj Ali had been killed.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that “Israeli missile strikes south of the capital Damascus, killed at least three people of non-Syrian nationalities, where they are likely to be Iranians who were killed by fall of a rocket on the area between Sayyida Zainab and Aqraba south of the capital Damascus yesterday evening, and information about more casualties were reported.” However, this source did not specify if those killed were militants or civilians.

The Times of Israel also identified three people killed in the strikes, referring to them as “non-Syrian fighters”.

According to Step News, “The local (Ein Al Furat) network, which specializes in Iranian affairs in Syria, also mentioned that the targeting resulted in the killing of General Haj Ali, commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard militia, and his entire family, as a result of a missile from the Israeli warship that targeted his house in Al Sayyeda Zainab neighbourhood in Damascus countryside.”

However, Sputnik Arabic wrote that the Iranian press agency Fars News had denied claims that General Haj Ali had been killed in strikes: “General Ali Hajizadeh is in good situation, and the news that he was killed is pure lies. The news that Haji Zadeh was killed in an Israeli raid on Syria yesterday is a rumour that was reported by some malicious Arab media, and it was re-published on social media via opposition channels.”

Fars News furthermore posted photos that were allegedly showing General Ali Haj attending Friday prayers on December 27th, 2019. Many articles have quoted General Hajizadeh since the alleged incident, including a profile done by the Middle East Eye that refers to him as the “Iran’s drone mastermind” and “the new Soleimani”.

There was no immediate comment from Israel, who told Fox News they don’t comment on foreign media reports of airstrikes.

The incident occured between 10:00 pm and 1:00 am local time.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Naval bombardment
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 3
  • 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
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–3

Sources (24) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • Several sources reported that General "Haj Ali", commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, was killed in alleged Israeli strikes on Sayyeda Zainab area in the night of December 21st-22nd, 2019 (via Ain Al Furat).
  • Despite reports that General Haj Ali was killed in alleged Israeli airstrikes on the night of December 21st to the 22nd, 2019, the Iranian press agency Fars News reported that the General was alive, publishing photos of the General attending Friday prayer on December 27th (via Fars).
  • Despite reports that General Haj Ali was killed in alleged Israeli airstrikes on the night of December 21st to the 22nd, 2019, the Iranian press agency Fars News reported that the General was alive, publishing photos of the General attending Friday prayer on December 27th (via Fars).

Geolocation notes (1) [ collapse]

Reports of the incident mention the area between Sat Zaynab (السيدة زينب) and Aqriba (عقربا), in the southern countryside of Damascus (دمشق). Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further. The generic coordinates between these two points are: 33.437222, 36.361828.

  • Reports of the incident mention the area between Sat Zaynab (السيدة زينب) and Aqriba (عقربا), in the southern countryside of Damascus (دمشق).

    Imagery:
    Google Earth

Israeli Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike, Naval bombardment
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 3
  • 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
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–3

Sources (24) [ 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

ISSY-200119-B

Incident date

January 20–21, 2019

Location

السويداء, As-Suwayda, Syria

Airwars assessment

At least two belligerents, specifically members of the Syrian regime military, were killed and 15 others were wounded in alleged Israeli airstrikes on As-Suwayda on the evening of January 20, 2019/morning of January 21, 2019.

According to Euphrates Post, “two elements of the Assad regime were killed and others were wounded following raids carried out by the Israeli warplanes targeting Radar Jina in the east of the town of Al Kafar, south of the city of Al Suwaida.”

Smart News Agency gave the information that “2 killed and 15 wounded by Israeli air strikes on military positions in al-Suwayda (local medical sources).”

Another post by Euphrates Post specified “Israeli air strikes on the military airfield in the western countryside of Al Suweidi.”

Step News Agency also reported that “Israeli raids also targeted a number of the regime’s positions in the Quneitra hills and al-Tha’la airport in the western province of Suweida. The raids also targeted the area of ​​the “radar” East of al-Suwayda, amid a general outage of electricity throughout the province.”

Syrian Observatory for Human Rights published an overall report on Israeli strikes, including the relevant information “the Israeli forces carried out tens of land and air strikes by their warplanes and ground-to-ground missiles, where the bombardment lasted less than 60 minutes and targeted areas extending from the southwest of Rif Dimashq to al-Thula airbase in the western countryside of al-Suwaidaa.” They identified Iranian, Hezbollah, and regime sites as being struck and gave the overall estimate of “the killing of 11 people including 2 Syrian nationals” but didn’t specify if they were killed in this location or in Damascus.

Following the strikes, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu said  “Last night, the air force strongly attacked Iranian targets in Syria after Iran launched a missile from there at our territory.” The Israeli military also issued the statement ““We have started striking Iranian Quds targets in Syrian territory. We warn the Syrian Armed Forces against attempting to harm Israeli forces or territory.”

The incident occured around midnight.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear (CBRN)
  • Suspected attacker
    Israeli Military
  • Suspected targets
    Assad regime, Hezbollah, Iranian military
  • Belligerents reported killed
    2
  • Belligerents reported injured
    15

Sources (7) [ collapse]

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
    No
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Cause of injury / death
    Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear (CBRN)
  • Suspected attacker
    Israeli Military
  • Suspected targets
    Assad regime, Hezbollah, Iranian military
  • Belligerents reported killed
    2
  • Belligerents reported injured
    15

Sources (7) [ collapse]