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

CS1258a

Incident date

July 23, 2017

Location

Raqqa, Syria

Geolocation

35.94885, 38.993594 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Exact location (via Airwars) level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

In the Amnesty and Airwars’s joint April 2019 report “War in Raqqa: Rhetoric versus Reality”, one civilian was reportedly as killed in alleged Coalition artillery strikes in Raqqa. Although Airwars assesses single sourced incidents as “weak”, researchers have assessed this incident “fair” due to the depth of material provided by Amnesty.

The report stated that “Musa Sami al-Ali, 42, was killed at his home by an artillery shell.”

One testimony by his son Mohammad stated that “There was a lot of shelling in the area all the time. There was no way of knowing when or where the next shell would strike.”

In July 2019 the Coalition announced that it had assessed this allegation of civilian harm to be non-credible. Their monthly civilian casualty report noted: “After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area that corresponds to the report of civilian casualties.”

The incident occured around midday.

The victims were named as:

Musa Sami al-Ali
42 years old male killed

Summary

  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (1) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes (2) [ collapse]

  • Before strike. (via Amnesty)

  • After strike. (via Amnesty)

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
    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
  • Stated location
    in Raqqa, Syria
    Nearest population center
  • Location accuracy
    100 m
  • MGRS coordinate
    37SDV994783
    Military Grid Reference System

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jul 26, 2017

  • Jul. 23, 2017, in Raqqa, Syria, via Amnesty International report. After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition actions were conducted in the geographical area that corresponds to the report of civilian casualties.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

Near Raqqah, seven strikes engaged five ISIS tactical units; destroyed two fighting positions,
a mortar tube, and a mortar facility; and damaged five fighting positions and a supply route.

Summary

  • Strike type
    Artillery
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Incident Code

CS1004

Incident date

June 15, 2017

Location

الرقة‎, Ar Raqqah, Syria

Geolocation

35.9505639, 39.0094148 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

A named civilian female was reportedly killed in artillery fire in Raqqa.

No further details are presently known.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Dalal Ahmad Hussein al Naif.
Age unknown female killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 woman)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (2) [ collapse]

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
    Non credible / Unsubstantiated
    Insufficient information to assess that, more likely than not, a Coalition strike resulted in civilian casualties.
  • Reason for non-credible assessment
    Insufficient information on the time and location
  • Civilian deaths conceded
    None
  • Civilian injuries conceded
    None
  • Stated location
    near Raqqah, Syria
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jan 25, 2018

  • The report contains insufficient information of the time, location and details to assess its credibility.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For June 14th-15th, the Coalition reported: “Near Raqqah, 11 strikes engaged eight ISIS tactical units; destroyed nine fighting positions, three ISIS boats, and a vehicle; and suppressed an ISIS tactical unit.”

For June 15th-16th the Coalition reported: “Near Raqqah, 20 strikes engaged 14 ISIS tactical units and a sniper and destroyed nine fighting positions, four vehicles, three mortar systems, two supply caches, two ISIS headquarters, a heavy machine gun, and a home-made explosives factory.” It also additionally reported that “On June 15, near Raqqah, Syria, six strikes destroyed eight fighting positions, an ISIS headquarters, and a tunnel, and suppressed two snipers.” And that “On June 15, near Raqqah, Syria, one strike destroyed six fighting positions, five ISIS staging areas, two command and control nodes, an ISIS headquarters, and a supply cache, and damaged 10 fighting positions and two VBIED facilities.”

UK Military
  • English
    /
    Original
Official source

Thursday 15 June – A Reaper destroyed a terrorist vehicle in eastern Syria. Typhoons struck three targets in Raqqa, while Tornados and Typhoons hit a mortar near Tal Afar and six targets in Mosul…The following day [June 15th], a Reaper remotely piloted aircraft conducted armed reconnaissance in eastern Syria, some 35 miles north-east of Dayr az Zawr, and used a Hellfire missile to destroy a terrorist truck. Two Typhoons also struck three Daesh positions in Raqqa in support of the offensive by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

French Military
  • English
    /
    Original
Official source

For June 14th-20th, 19 strikes were made by French aircraft in Iraq and Syria. Most of them were carried out during the Battle of Mosul, in support of the Iraqi fighters engaged in the fighting to drive ISIL out of its positions in the North of the Medina. The other strikes were carried out in support of the fighting for the capture of Raqqah, and against flows of arms and fighters in Iraq and Syria.

Cette semaine, les aéronefs de l’opération Chammal ont réalisé 34 sorties aériennes dont 31 de reconnaissance armée ou d’appui au sol (CAS) et 3 de recueil de renseignements. 19 frappes ont été réalisées par les avions français en Irak et en Syrie. La majeure partie d’entre elle ont été réalisées dans le cadre de la bataille de Mossoul, en appui des combattants irakiens engagés dans les combats pour chasser Daech de ses positions au Nord de la Médina. Les autres frappes ont été réalisées en appui des combats pour la prise de Raqqah, et contre des flux d’armes et de combattants en Irak et en Syrie.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 woman)
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    US-led Coalition

Sources (2) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS069

Incident date

October 23, 2015

Location

اللطامنة, Ltamenah, Hama, Syria

Geolocation

35.3219885, 36.6234398 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

An alleged Russian airstrike on a field hospital in northern Hama injured a number of people including medical staff and killed one, according to reports. Up to six rebels also died.

“Russian warplanes launched a raid at the field hospital in the town of Al-Lataminah countryside north of Hama, which inflicted casualties among the medical staff and led to the demolition of a large part of the hospital,” Masar Press reported.

Amjad, a doctor at the hospital, later told the Syrian Network: “At 9pm the observatories informed us about the presence of the Russian warplanes and we went to the hospital to shelter in it. However, the warplanes shelled the hospital with two vacuum missiles. The explosion was huge and the destruction was enormous. Most of the hospital’s staff and cadres were injured and the anesthesia technician suffered a severe brain injury then died due to his injuries on 28 October 2015. The lab technician was also injured and his leg was amputated as a result, while the rest of the medical staff were mildly injured and sustained bruises.”

The Syrian Network has named the anaesthetic technician as Sameer Mohamad Al Hajan, pictured below, a 37 year old man married with two children.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Sameer Mohamad Al Hajan
Adult male An anesthesia technician from Al Latamna city in Hama killed

Summary

  • Civilian infrastructure
    Healthcare facility
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    10
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (2) [ collapse]

  • Sameer Mohamad Al Hajan (via SN4HR)
  • Sameer Mohamad Al Hajan, an anesthesia technician from Al Latamna city in Hama (via SNHR)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

There is no published Russian Defence Ministry record for October 22nd-23rd 2015.

Summary

  • Civilian infrastructure
    Healthcare facility
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    10
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Russian Military

Sources (9) [ collapse]

Incident Code

CS1055 RS2300

Incident date

June 22, 2017

Location

طيبة, Al Taybeh, Homs, Syria

Geolocation

35.08895, 38.91597 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

One male baby was named as a victim of an airstrike on Raqqa by some local sources. However, this appears to have been a reporting error – with the child in fact likely to have been killed in a Russian, regime or Coalition airstrike on al Taybeh, east of Palmyra.

MC Palmyra added that members of the baby’s family were also seriously injured in the strike when their home was hit

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Deeb Adam al-Nuaimi
Child male killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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, Syrian Regime, Russian Military

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (1) [ collapse]

  • The baby Deeb Adam al-Nuaimi was reportedly killed in al Tayba village in Homs by Coalition, Russian or Syrian regime strikes (via SN4HR)
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
    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
  • Stated location
    near Al Taybeh, Syria
    Nearest population center

Civilian casualty statements

US-led Coalition
  • Jan 25, 2018

  • After a review of available information it was assessed that no Coalition strikes were conducted in the geographical area that correspond to the report of civilian casualties.

Original strike reports

US-led Coalition
Official source

For June 21st-22nd, the Coalition reported: “Near Raqqah, 14 strikes engaged 14 ISIS tactical units and destroyed 16 fighting positions, three vehicles and an ammunition cache.” No strikes were publicly reported near Palmyra.

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

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    2
  • 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, Syrian Regime, Russian Military

Sources (6) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS133

Incident date

November 8, 2015

Location

البوابية, Bawabiyah, Aleppo, Syria

Geolocation

36.012468, 36.890289 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

According to multiple sources, one man was killed and at least five non-combatants were injured by alleged Russian warplanes targeted the village of Buwaybiyah in southern Aleppo countryside.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–5
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Unknown

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the Bawabiyah (البوابية), for which the generic coordinates are: 36.012468, 36.890289. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Unknown Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • Civilians reported injured
    2–5
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Unknown

Incident Code

RS2886

Incident date

January 11, 2018

Location

معرة النعمان, Ma'arat Nu'man, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.6477913, 36.6591881 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

An ambulance driver from Salam Hospital was killed, and as many as seven other civilians were injured, including the Minister of Health in the interim government due to alleged Russian and Syrian regime raids on Ma’arat Nu’man, according to local media. Sources were conflicted as to who was to blame. Most sources blamed Russia, while a few blamed the Syrian regime – including the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Some local media blamed “military warplanes” – not attributing blame.

According to local media, civilian homes were “targeted” causing much damage, huge fires and many injured civilians.

Members of the Syrian Civil Defence helped to extract victims from the rubble in the aftermath.

Footage shows the crater and fires caused by the raid.

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Dr. Firas El-Jundi
Adult male Minister of Health in the interim government injured
Hussam al Mendil
Adult male ambulance driver killed

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–7
  • 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, Unknown

Sources (13) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (10) [ collapse]

  • The aftermath of airstrikes on Ma'arat Nu'man which struck civilian homes, 11th Jan 2018. (via ENN)
  • Dr. Firas El-Jundi, minister for health, who was injured by airstrikes on Ma'arat Nu'man which struck civilian homes, 11th Jan 2018. (via Enab Baladi)
  • The aftermath of airstrikes on Ma'arat Nu'man which struck civilian homes, 11th Jan 2018. (via Syrian Civil Defence)
  • The aftermath of airstrikes on Ma'arat Nu'man which struck civilian homes, 11th Jan 2018. (via Syrian Civil Defence)
  • The aftermath of airstrikes on Ma'arat Nu'man which struck civilian homes, 11th Jan 2018. (via Syrian Civil Defence)
  • The aftermath of airstrikes on Ma'arat Nu'man which struck civilian homes, 11th Jan 2018. (via Syrian Civil Defence)
  • The aftermath of airstrikes on Ma'arat Nu'man which struck civilian homes, 11th Jan 2018. (via Syrian Coalition)
  • Hussam al Mendil, killed in airstrikes on Ma'arat Nu'man which struck civilian homes, 11th Jan 2018. (via SN4HR)
  • The aftermath of airstrikes on Ma'arat Nu'man which struck civilian homes, 11th Jan 2018. (via Edlib Media Centre)
  • An ambulance destroyed pictured in the aftermath of airstrikes on Ma'arat Nu'man which struck civilian homes, 11th Jan 2018. (via SN4HR)

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

Unknown Assessment:

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

Summary

  • Strike type
    Airstrike
  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 man)
  • Civilians reported injured
    1–7
  • 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, Unknown

Sources (13) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS165

Incident date

November 18, 2015

Location

الكركات, Al Karkat, Hama, Syria

Geolocation

35.477006, 36.384919 Note: The accuracy of this location is to Village level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

The Union of Hamas Rebels reported that one child who was killed – and two or more people injured – in alleged Russian airstrikes on the village of Al Karat.

The VDC also named the boy, who it said had died “Due to the Russian air forces shelling of Karakat village.” The Syrian News Desk said the attack was part of heavy air raids by Russia around Al Karkat that day “wounding dozens of civilians in varying degrees of severity, with the child victim transferred to the medical point in the village, as the shelling also resulted in the destruction of 10 houses or more.”

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

Jassem Mohammad Ramadan
Child male named by VDC killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Unknown

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Geolocation notes

Reports of the incident mention the village of Al Karkat (الكركات), for which the generic coordinates are: 35.477006, 36.384919. Due to limited satellite imagery and information available to Airwars, we were unable to verify the location further.

Unknown Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Unknown
Official source

Russia made no public mention of airstrikes in Hama governorate in its report for November 18th 2015.

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 child)
  • Civilians reported injured
    12
  • Airwars civilian harm grading
    Fair
    Reported by two or more credible sources, with likely or confirmed near actions by a belligerent.
  • Suspected attacker
    Unknown

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Incident Code

RS198

Incident date

November 27, 2015

Location

جسر الشغور, Jisr al Shughour, Idlib, Syria

Geolocation

35.81425, 36.319812 Note: The accuracy of this location is to City level. Continue to map

Airwars assessment

The VDC and others identified an adult female civilian as having been killed in an alleged Russian airstrike on Jisr al Shughour. Two additional non-combatants including one child were reportedly injured.

Local media activist Tariq Abd Aluhak posted what he said were pictures of rescuers after the event.

 

The local time of the incident is unknown.

The victims were named as:

 Zainab Orafli
Adult female named by vdc killed

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 woman)
  • 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
    Russian Military

Sources (7) [ collapse]

Media
from sources (3) [ collapse]

  • The aftermath of an alleged Russian airstrike on Jisr al Shughour, Nov 27th (via north press)
  • 'Zeinab Orafli martyred and Walid Hiraki and his son injured following Russian air raids on the town a short while ago' (via Coordination Committee for Jisr al Shoughour)
  • 'Jisr al Shoughour: Zeinab Orafli martyred and two others wounded after Russian raids on the town' (viaTariq Abd aluhak tweet)

Russian Military Assessment:

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

Original strike reports

Russian Military
Official source

Russia reported that “In the course of the last week, November 26 – December 4, the Russian aircraft have performed 431 combat sorties from the Hmeymim airbase making pinpoint strikes on 1458 terrorist objects in the Aleppo, Idlib, Latakia, Hama, Homs, Deir ez-Zor and Raqqah provinces.”

Summary

  • Civilian harm reported
    Yes
  • Civilians reported killed
    1
  • (1 woman)
  • 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
    Russian Military