Israel Targets Iranian Militias in Damascus Countryside

 Since civil war broke out in Syria in 2011, Israel has carried out hundreds of airstrikes inside the country. (AP News)
Since civil war broke out in Syria in 2011, Israel has carried out hundreds of airstrikes inside the country. (AP News)
TT

Israel Targets Iranian Militias in Damascus Countryside

 Since civil war broke out in Syria in 2011, Israel has carried out hundreds of airstrikes inside the country. (AP News)
Since civil war broke out in Syria in 2011, Israel has carried out hundreds of airstrikes inside the country. (AP News)

Head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) revealed that Israel targeted this week military sites in the vicinity of Damascus countryside.

The strikes hit military targets for groups loyal to Iran and the Palestinian Liberation Army in Rakhla town, and near al-Madajen between the towns of Ambiya and Kafr Quq in the vicinity of Qatana in southwestern Damascus countryside, explained SOHR head Rami Abdel Rahman, saying the strikes are the ninth this year.

Israel clearly knows everything about the Iranians in Syria, he stressed, reiterating previous statements that Israel has many spies deployed among the Syrian regime, the Lebanese Hezbollah group and the Iranian-backed militias in Syria.

“The spies provide it with information about their movements, warehouses and missiles,” he affirmed in statements on Friday, wondering when will the Syrian regime and Iran respond to these strikes.

Syrian state television also reported that Israeli airstrikes had hit several locations in the countryside west of the capital Damascus on Thursday.

Syrian state news agency SANA, citing a military source, said Syrian air defenses had shot down “some” of the fired missiles .

It said the strikes only caused material damage, without elaborating.

In recent years, Israel has launched hundreds of air strikes in Syria, targeting Syrian army positions as well as Iranian and Lebanese Hezbollah sites.

Israel rarely confirms any strikes on Syrian territory, but it has always reiterated that it will continue to face what it describes as Iran’s attempts to establish its military presence in Syria.

The conflict, which broke out in Syria in 2011, has claimed around 500,000 lives, ravaged infrastructure and displaced millions.



Iraqi Foreign Minister: We Have Received Explicit Israeli Threats

Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid addresses the Peace Forum in Duhok (Rudaw Network)
Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid addresses the Peace Forum in Duhok (Rudaw Network)
TT

Iraqi Foreign Minister: We Have Received Explicit Israeli Threats

Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid addresses the Peace Forum in Duhok (Rudaw Network)
Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid addresses the Peace Forum in Duhok (Rudaw Network)

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein stated on Friday that Iraq has received explicit threats from Israel, adding that the country’s armed forces have been instructed by the prime minister to prevent any attacks originating from Iraqi territory.

According to the Iraqi News Agency (INA), Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani directed the armed forces to take action against anyone launching attacks from the country. The foreign minister emphasized that Iraq does not seek war and aims to avoid its dangers, noting that the region is “on fire” and facing “clear threats from Israel.”

The agency also reported that the Iraqi government has requested an emergency meeting of the Arab League Council to address Israeli threats. Iraq’s permanent representative to the Arab League submitted a request for a session at the level of permanent representatives of member states to confront what was described as menaces from the “Zionist entity.”

Earlier, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar announced that he had sent a message to the president of the UN Security Council urging immediate action against activities of Iran-backed militias in Iraq. Sa’ar asserted that the Iraqi government bears responsibility for any actions occurring within or emanating from its territory.

Meanwhile, Iraqi officials have expressed pessimism about the outcome of the ongoing war in the Middle East. Nevertheless, they emphasized Baghdad’s commitment to supporting efforts to achieve lasting peace and security.

Speaking at the American University Forum in Duhok on Friday, Iraqi Parliament Speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani highlighted that the challenges facing Iraq have fundamentally changed since October 7.

He described the current situation in the Middle East as a “second Nakba”, stressing that the challenges stem from the failure of the international system, which he described as “ambiguous.”

Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid stated that Iraq would play its role in promoting peace in the Middle East and expressed his full support for efforts aimed at achieving a peaceful resolution to the Kurdish issue in Türkiye.

Speaking at the Duhok Forum, Rashid said that Iraq and the region are facing circumstances that require all parties to closely monitor the situation and find appropriate solutions to ongoing problems, emphasizing the need for lasting peace and security.

Masoud Barzani, leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, called for Iraq to remain neutral in the conflict, saying: “The crises in the region and the scenes of war in Lebanon and Gaza are tragic. We hope this suffering will come to an end.”

“We are all awaiting changes following the US presidential election. All indications suggest that a Trump administration will adopt a different approach compared to President Biden’s policies,” he added.

The Iraqi government has stated that under the Strategic Framework Agreement and security pact with the United States, Washington is responsible for “deterring and responding to any external attacks that threaten Iraq’s internal security.”

According to media reports, the US has informed Baghdad that Israeli military strikes on Iraq are “imminent” unless Baghdad prevents Iran-backed factions from launching attacks against Israel.