Syria Complains to UN About Repeated Israeli Attacks

An Israeli raid on the outskirts of Damascus. (Syrian Observatory for Human Rights)
An Israeli raid on the outskirts of Damascus. (Syrian Observatory for Human Rights)
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Syria Complains to UN About Repeated Israeli Attacks

An Israeli raid on the outskirts of Damascus. (Syrian Observatory for Human Rights)
An Israeli raid on the outskirts of Damascus. (Syrian Observatory for Human Rights)

The Syrian Foreign Ministry warned of the consequences of the continuation of Israeli attacks on its territories, urging decisive measures from the UN Security Council to put an end to them.

“Syria calls on the Security Council to assume its responsibilities in the implementation of what is stipulated in the Charter of the United Nations and international humanitarian law,” the ministry said in two letters to the UN Secretary-General and Head of the UN Security Council on Friday.

It said, “the Israeli occupation authorities again defy the world public opinion, UN resolutions and the calls of most members of the Security Council not to expand the existing aggression against the Palestinian people by launching two new air attacks on Syrian territory.”

The latest attacks struck near Damascus and in southern regions.

Foreign Ministry noted that the United States, France, Britain and other countries clearly see that Israel has entirely violated international and humanitarian laws without mercy.

“The new aggressions against Syrian territory and the ongoing threats against Lebanon and other Arab countries in the region reveal the true goals of the Zionist entity, which seeks to expand in the region at the expense of Arab rights in Palestine and other occupied territories”, the Foreign Ministry stated.

On Friday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said that before midnight on Thursday Israel fired missiles on the area of Damascus International Airport a day after the airport started operating again after being out of service for 65 days since an Israeli attack on October 22.

In the South, Israel fired missiles on a checkpoint of a battalion of the Air Defense in Tel Sahn eastern of Al-Hueya Village in the Suweida countryside, the watchdog said.

Later, SOHR said Israeli aircrafts carried out a second round of attacks on air defense positions in the Damascus countryside.

Syrian air defenses in Qasioun mountain responded to the attacks.

The Observatory documented 73 attacks in 2023, including 49 airstrikes and 24 rocket attacks by ground forces. The attacks destroyed nearly 143 targets, including buildings, weapons and ammunitions warehouses, and vehicles, and killed 120 soldiers and injured 136 others.



Germany’s Merz Discusses Gaza in Call with Israel’s Netanyahu  

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz attends a press conference, in Brussels, Belgium, May 9 2025. (Reuters)
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz attends a press conference, in Brussels, Belgium, May 9 2025. (Reuters)
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Germany’s Merz Discusses Gaza in Call with Israel’s Netanyahu  

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz attends a press conference, in Brussels, Belgium, May 9 2025. (Reuters)
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz attends a press conference, in Brussels, Belgium, May 9 2025. (Reuters)

Germany's new Chancellor Friedrich Merz held his first call in office with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, discussing the Gaza war and Middle East tensions, Berlin said Friday.  

In the call on Thursday, 80 years after the end of World War II, Merz "reiterated that the existence and security of Israel are a part of German raison d'etat", declaring them core principle of the German state, said a statement.  

Germany has long been a strong support of Israel as it seeks to atone for the Holocaust, and conservative Merz is expected to continue this tradition.  

Merz repeated Germany's condemnation "in the strongest terms" of Hamas's "brutal terror attack" of October 7, 2023 and expressed concern for the fate of the remaining Israeli hostages in Gaza as well as "the hope that negotiations for a ceasefire would soon get under way".

He also mentioned the "humanitarian crisis" in Gaza, where an Israeli blockade has led UN agencies and aid groups to warn of dwindling supplies of everything from fuel to medicine to the territory of 2.4 million Palestinians.  

Israel denies a humanitarian crisis is unfolding and has vowed to further ramp up pressure on Hamas.  

The Israeli military has already levelled most of the territory's buildings following the group's unprecedented attack on Israel.

In a trip to Paris on Wednesday, Merz said that while "Israel has a legitimate interest in pushing back Hamas's terror, it also has a humanitarian obligation to the population in Gaza".  

He added that Israel "must fulfil this responsibility more fully than it has been doing in recent days".  

New German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul is expected to visit Israel this weekend to discuss the ongoing conflict.  

Next Monday, Israeli President Isaac Herzog is set to visit Berlin to mark the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.  

His German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier will visit Israel directly afterwards.  

The official readout of the call between Merz and Netanyahu said they also discussed "the situation in Syria", without giving further details.

Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes on Syria since the ousting of President Bashar al-Assad in December.