Israel Strikes Southern Syria; Damascus Condemns Attack
Damascus, August 23: Tensions between Israel and Syria intensified on Saturday after Israel said it targeted a “terrorist” in southern Syria, while Damascus accused Israeli forces of carrying out a drone strike on a civilian vehicle and violating Syrian territory.
Syria’s Foreign Ministry said the drone strike hit a civilian car on a road near Beit Jinn village, in the countryside west of Damascus. The ministry said civilians were injured in the attack, while Syrian state television reported that one person was wounded.
Israel Says Target Posed Immediate Threat
The Israeli military said it carried out an operation in southern Syria against what it described as a terrorist whose activities posed an immediate threat to Israeli soldiers.
However, the Israeli statement did not specify how the strike was carried out.
The competing accounts highlight the growing tensions between the two countries, with Damascus describing the incident as another violation of Syrian sovereignty and Israel citing security concerns for its troops.
Damascus Condemns Strike
Syria’s Foreign Ministry strongly condemned the attack, calling it a “blatant” violation of the country’s territory.
The ministry said the strike was part of what it described as a continuing pattern of Israeli attacks inside Syria. It also said Israel would be held responsible for the consequences of such actions.
The latest incident comes just days after Israel bombed an airbase in northwestern Syria on Tuesday. The escalation was criticised by U.S. special envoy to Syria Tom Barrack, who described the action as “unnecessary.”
Israeli Troops Continue Operations in Southern Syria
The latest strike comes amid continued Israeli military activity in southern Syria.
Israel also occupies territory in southwestern Syria that it seized following the toppling of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.
The latest developments have added to tensions between Israel and Syria, with Damascus repeatedly objecting to Israeli military operations on Syrian soil and Israel maintaining that its actions are aimed at addressing security threats.
For now, the two sides continue to offer sharply different accounts of the latest incident, underscoring the fragile security situation in southern Syria.
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SEO Title: Israel Strikes Southern Syria, Damascus Condemns Drone Attack
Meta Description: Israel strikes southern Syria, targeting what it called a terrorist threat. Damascus condemned the attack, saying a civilian vehicle was hit near Beit Jinn.
Focus Keyword: Israel strikes southern Syria
Secondary Keywords: Israel Syria tensions, Damascus condemns Israel strike, southern Syria attack, Beit Jinn drone strike, Israel Syria conflict
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