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

TS403

Incident date

December 24, 2019

Location

زونار, Zunnar, Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

36.534167, 38.726944 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One civilian was reported injured in alleged Turkish or Turkish-backed shelling on Zunnar village of Ain Issa, Raqqa on December 24th, 2019 according to local sources. ANHA reported that the Turkish attack directly targeted civilian areas. Other sources blamed Turkish backed mercenaries.

@Karl_hakon reported that “Turkish-backed mercenaries targeted civilian areas in the Ain Issa countryside with artillery and heavy weapons. One civilian was injured due to an attack on Bir Zinar village when he was cultivating his land.”

@Jamal_Bali7 wrote on Twitter that “Turkish backed jihadists targeted civilian areas in the Ain Issa countryside with artillery and heavy weapons.”

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
    1
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports on the incident mention the village of Zunnar (زونار) for which the generic coordinates are: 36.534167, 38.726944. 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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Likely strike
  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Turkish Military
  • Suspected target
    Unknown

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1629

Incident date

November 18, 2016

Location

حي كرم الطراب , Karam al Tarab neighbourhood, Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.19611111, 37.20944444 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Neighbourhood/area level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Local media reported that two civilians died in an alleged Russian airstrike on Aleppo’s Karam al Tarab neighbourhood.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

Russia has not reported any specific strikes between November 1st – 30th 2016.

On 6 January 2017, Russia, however, reported: “Since November 8, 2016, the aircraft carrier group of the Northern Fleet consisting of the heavy aircraft carrying cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov, the heavy nuclear missile cruiser Pyotr Velikiy, the large ASW ship Severomorsk, as well as auxiliary vessels of the Black Sea Fleet, has been fulfilling counterterrorist missions on the territory of Syria”, adding that ”in the course of two months of their participation in the combat actions, naval aviation pilots have carried out 420 combat sorties, 117 of them were night ones.”

Additionally, Russia reported that its air forces have carried out strikes in Aleppo during November and December 2016.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (4) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS4307

Incident date

January 15, 2020

Location

البارة, Al Bara, Idlib, Syria

Airwars assessment

A Syrian Civil Defence volunteer was wounded and an unknown number of people were injured in alleged Russian or Syrian regime airstrikes on the town of Al Bara, Idlib governorate, in the evening of January 15th, 2020, according to local sources.

Ismail al-Hamada, a civil defense volunteer, was injured, during inspection of a bombing site of an alleged attack by the Syrian armed forces in Al-Bara in Jabal Al-Zawiya during the evening on January 15, 2020.

A local source tweeted: “warplanes bombard the town of Al-Bara, south of Idlib, with vacuum missiles.”.

After the alleged attack Mr Al-Hamada, a volunteer in the Civil Defence Team, went to conduct an inspection of the bombing site and the shelling, and was injured during his inspection, as the Syrian Civil Defence Team tweeted.

Furthermore, the Syrian Civil Defence tweeted that the attack by the regime forces led to limited damage to materials only.

Shaam news released a report noting that many were wounded during attacks by Russian and Syrian warplanes and helicopters, including in the town of Al-Bara.

The incident occured in the evening.

The victims were named as:

Ismail al-Hamada إسماعيل الحمادة
Adult male wounded when working on scene of previous shelling injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–5
  • 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, Syrian Regime

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Bombardment of the town of Al-Bara on January 15, 2020. (Image posted by @Abo_aljod84)
  • White Helmets arrive after Bombardment of the town of Al-Bara on January 15, 2020. (Image posted by @SyriaCivilDefe)

Russian Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military
  • Russian 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
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–5
  • 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, Syrian Regime

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS4346

Incident date

January 22, 2020

Location

كفرناها, Kafar Naha, Aleppo, Syria

Airwars assessment

One civilian, an adult male, was wounded in an alleged Russian or regime airstrike in Kafar Naha, according to local sources on January 22nd 2020.

The White Helmets reported: “A person was injured as a result of the bombing of a factory in the town of Kafr Nanaha, in the western countryside of Aleppo. Our team assisted him to the hospital.”

A subsequent post by the White Helmets added that there have been raids “that targeted a building used as a petrol station”.

Local Coordination Committees of Syria named the victim as 35-year-old Mahmoud Al-Khader. The source said that a raid by a “warplane”.

There is some discrepancy around the timing of this incident. One local source said the airstrike happened at 08.36, but Local Coordination Committees of Syria indicated that this happened at 14.12. However, DW News reported that airstrikes have been targeting the area since the morning, noting that the regime and Russian forces struck more than 110 targets throughout the day and it is unclear whether this also continued into the afternoon.

The incident occured during the day.

The victims were named as:

Mahmoud Al-Khader
35 years old male injured

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Syrian Regime, Syrian Regime, Russian Military

Sources (16) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (5) [ collapse]

  • The aftermath of an airstrike on Kafar Naha, Jan 22nd (via White Helmets)
  • The aftermath of an airstrike on Kafar Naha, Jan 22nd (via White Helmets)
  • The aftermath of an airstrike on Kafar Naha, Jan 22nd (via White Helmets)
  • The aftermath of an airstrike on Kafar Naha, Jan 22nd (via White Helmets)
  • "The village of Kafr Naha in the western Aleppo countryside after a Russian raid."

Syrian Regime Assessment:

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

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

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    Unknown
  • Civilians reported injured
    1
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Contested
    Competing claims of responsibility e.g. multiple belligerents, or casualties also attributed to ground forces.
  • Suspected attackers
    Syrian Regime, Syrian Regime, Russian Military

Sources (16) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS1795

Incident date

December 27, 2016

Location

الجينة, Al-Jinah, Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.117309, 36.802243 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

Several civilians were reportedly wounded in alleged Russian  rocket strikes which targeted Al-Jinah, Aleppo, local media said. There were no reports of civilian deaths. 

Footage shows that not only were residential homes destroyed in the alleged raid, but  Osman bin Affan mosque was also partially destroyed.

@AnasAlhage, reported that two rockets were fired on the village. 

There are no other details at this time.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Russian Military

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (8) [ collapse]

  • The exact moment the strike hit Al-Jinah, 27th December 2016. (via Aljinah village)
  • The aftermath of the raid on Al-Jinah, 27th December 2016. (via Al Bo Azizi)
  • News bulletin on the raid on Al-Jinah, 27th December 2016. (via Hareth Abd Al Hak)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian raid on Al-Jinah, 27th December 2016. (via HNN)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian raid on Al-Jinah, 27th December 2016. (via HNN)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian raid on Al-Jinah, 27th December 2016. (via HNN)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian raid on Al-Jinah, 27th December 2016. (via HNN)
  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian raid on Al-Jinah, 27th December 2016. (via HNN)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

Russia has not reported any specific strikes between December 1st – 31st 2016.

On 6 January 2017, Russia, however, reported: “Since November 8, 2016, the aircraft carrier group of the Northern Fleet consisting of the heavy aircraft carrying cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov, the heavy nuclear missile cruiser Pyotr Velikiy, the large ASW ship Severomorsk, as well as auxiliary vessels of the Black Sea Fleet, has been fulfilling counterterrorist missions on the territory of Syria”, adding that ”in the course of two months of their participation in the combat actions, naval aviation pilots have carried out 420 combat sorties, 117 of them were night ones.”

Additionally, Russia reported that its air forces have carried out strikes in Aleppo during November and December 2016.

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attackers
    Russian Military, Russian Military

Sources (11) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS4374

Incident date

January 28, 2020

Location

بشنطرة, Bashantra, Aleppo, Syria

Airwars assessment

One person died and an unspecified number of others were wounded in alleged Russian or regime air or artillery strikes on Bashranta on January 28, 2020, according to local media. The Violations Documentation Center whether the person killed was a civilian.

Both the Shahba Press and Zaiton Agency released reports of multiple civilians killed due to the strike upon Bashantra. These reports were later amended by Halab Today, Step Agency, and Shaam News to be one individual was killed and others wounded.  No exact numbers or the name of the deceased was released.

The Violations Documentation Center in Syria reported that a non-civilian was killed in Russian missile attacks on Bashantra.

The airstrikes on the 28th on Bashantra were resorted to be part of a coordinated set of strikes upon civilian areas.

Halab TV reported that the warplanes involved were those of the Assad regime while Jesr Press attributed the strikes to Russia.

The incident occured in the morning.

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 1
  • 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
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime
  • Suspected target
    Unknown
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–1

Sources (18) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military
  • Russian 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 and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0 – 1
  • 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
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime
  • Suspected target
    Unknown
  • Belligerents reported killed
    0–1

Sources (18) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS4397

Incident date

February 2, 2020

Location

المسطومة, Al Mastouma, Idlib , Syria

Airwars assessment

Up to two civilians were reported killed and between two and three civilians were injured in an alleged Russian or Syrian airstrike or artillery shelling on the outskirts of the town of Al Mastouma in the southern countryside of Idlib on February 2nd, 2020.

More specifically, Step News Agency and an Al-Jisr correspondent stated that armed forces attacked the road between Al Mastouma town and the city of Idlib. Multiple sources mentioned that cluster munition was used during the attack on Al Mastouma. According to Edlib Media Center and a tweet from @our_syria, “Two rockets carrying cluster bombs landed in the town of [Al Mastouma].” FN Agency reported that warplanes of the Assad militia targeted the road between Idlib and Al Mastouma with cluster missiles.

Regarding civilian harm, most sources reported the death of one civilian. However, Shaam News Network said that the attack on Al Mastouma took the lives of two civilians. @anastracey identified the victims as Bashar Abdel-Karim Taha and Ahmed Abdel-Karim Taha. Reports on injuries vary. @anastracey made mention of two wounded civilians. The Step News Agency initially said that a number of civilians were injured without giving an exact number, though they later revised their estimate to three.

Al Araby mentioned that the attack on Al Mastouma was part of wider air and missile bombardments by Russian and Regime forces on the countryside of Idlib and Aleppo. They cited the Syrian Response Coordinators team that had observed massive displacement in the southern and western countryside of Aleppo and the southern and eastern Idlib countryside since January 16th, 2020 as a result of these military campaigns.

Sources were conflicted as to who was responsible for the strike, with Nedaa Post attributing the strike to Russian armed forces while FN Agency referred to regime forces as having carried out the strike. Step News Agency initially reported that Russian warplanes bombed the outskirts of Al Mastouma with cluster bombs. However, later on it claimed that Syrian regime forces were responsible for the attack. Shaam News Network attributed the attack on Al Mastouma to both Russia and the Regime, but they consolidated the report into a larger report of strikes across the Idlib governorate.

The incident occured at 16:34:00 local time.

The victims were named as:

Family members (2)

Bashar Abdel-Karim Taha بشار عبد الكريم طه
killed
Ahmed Abdel-Karim Taha احمد عبد الكريم طه
killed

Summary

  • Strike status
    Contested strike
  • Strike type
    Airstrike and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • 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
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (13) [ collapse]

Russian Military Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    Russian Military
  • Russian 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 and/or Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1 – 2
  • 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
    Russian Military, Syrian Regime

Sources (13) [ collapse]

Incident Code

YS011

Incident date

January 29, 2018

Location

الريحانية, Al Rihaniya, Hattai, Syria

Geolocation

36.268535, 36.567411 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

The News of Syrians in Turkey reported that “two missiles hit the city of Rihaniyah and that there were injuries.”

According to @Reyhanli3131, “two rockets were shot into the city of Afrin and hit the city center. Two civilians were slightly injured.”

However, Hürriyet News did not report any casualties. It said: “According to the information received, the rocket fired by the terrorists in the Afrin region of Syria fell near an LPG station in Gültepe neighborhood. During the attack, the windows of the surrounding business areas were broken, and a vehicle was damaged. Ambulance, fire brigade, AFAD and police teams were dispatched to the scene when there was no casualties and injuries.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    YPG

Sources (3) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • Video of the incident
  • Another video of the incident
  • Picture of the aftermath (via Hürriyet)

YPG Assessment:

  • Suspected belligerent
    YPG
  • YPG position on incident
    Not yet assessed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    0
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    YPG

Sources (3) [ collapse]