Israel Strikes Central Syria, Killing at Least Five, Wounding 19

Israeli warplanes were reported to have carried out at least 15 airstrikes against central Syria, with the deadliest attacks centered around the city of Masyaf, which is west of Hama. Syrian state media is reporting that at least five people were killed and 19 wounded.

State media in Syria also reported that their air defenses were activated against the strikes in Hama Province, and that firefighting forces are active trying to extinguish the fires caused by the attacks.

It still isn’t clear what was being targeted by the Israelis, and there has been no official Israeli statement on the matter. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which often functions as a mouthpiece for the opposition in Syria, said that one of the strikes had targeted a scientific research center in Masyaf.

It isn’t a foregone conclusion that Israel was targeting anything specifically serious in Syria, as they have been carrying out airstrikes in Syria intermittently for years, and often the attacks show no rhyme nor reason as to what is being targeted.

There were other Israeli attacks reported elsewhere in the Hama Province, as well as strike near Damascus and the coastal city of Tartus. Hospital officials suggested that the death toll may rise in the strikes, as some of the wounded are in serious condition.

Israel has been carrying out an increasing number of attacks against Syria and Lebanon in recent months. Most of the strikes in Syria are presumed to be designed to target Shi’ite factions, with Israeli media often referring to the targets as “Iran-backed militias.”