More Iran-backed Fighters Killed in 2nd Syria Raid in 24 Hours

A bus drives on a road near Quneitra at the Syrian side of the Israeli Syrian border as it is seen from the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, Israel July 21, 2018. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun
A bus drives on a road near Quneitra at the Syrian side of the Israeli Syrian border as it is seen from the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, Israel July 21, 2018. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun
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More Iran-backed Fighters Killed in 2nd Syria Raid in 24 Hours

A bus drives on a road near Quneitra at the Syrian side of the Israeli Syrian border as it is seen from the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, Israel July 21, 2018. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun
A bus drives on a road near Quneitra at the Syrian side of the Israeli Syrian border as it is seen from the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, Israel July 21, 2018. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun

Airstrikes targeting positions of Iran-backed militias in eastern Syria killed nine fighters Sunday in the second such raid in 24 hours, The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The war monitor said Israel was "likely responsible" for the strikes near the Iraqi border, which came hours after a similar raid killed six other Tehran-backed fighters, raising the toll to 15 killed in 24 hours.

The fighters killed in the early Sunday raids were mostly Iraqi nationals, according to Observatory head Rami Abdul Rahman.

Israel has launched hundreds of strikes in Syria since the start of the war in 2011.

It has targeted government troops, allied Iranian forces and fighters from Lebanon’s Hezbollah.

It rarely confirms details of its operations in Syria, but says Iran's presence in support of regime head Bashar al-Assad is a threat and that it will continue its strikes.

On Saturday, airstrikes also blamed on Israel hit positions belonging to regime forces and Iran-backed militias near the border with Iraq, the Observatory said.

Four Syrian nationals were among the six fighters killed in that attack, the monitor added.

Saturday's raids came only days after Israeli strikes in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor and the southern province of Suweida killed seven fighters, including two Syrian soldiers, according to the Observatory.



Israeli Minister Ben-Gvir Threatens to Quit Netanyahu Cabinet over Gaza Deal

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir speaks while a conference on the resettlement of the Gaza Strip takes place, at an unspecified location in southern Israel, October 21, 2024. (Reuters)
Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir speaks while a conference on the resettlement of the Gaza Strip takes place, at an unspecified location in southern Israel, October 21, 2024. (Reuters)
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Israeli Minister Ben-Gvir Threatens to Quit Netanyahu Cabinet over Gaza Deal

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir speaks while a conference on the resettlement of the Gaza Strip takes place, at an unspecified location in southern Israel, October 21, 2024. (Reuters)
Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir speaks while a conference on the resettlement of the Gaza Strip takes place, at an unspecified location in southern Israel, October 21, 2024. (Reuters)

Israeli far-right police minister Itamar Ben-Gvir threatened on Tuesday to quit Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government if he agrees to a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal being negotiated at talks in Qatar.

Ben-Gvir, whose departure would not bring down Netanyahu's government, urged Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich to join him in a last-ditch attempt to prevent a ceasefire deal, which he described as a dangerous capitulation to Hamas.

"This move is our only chance to prevent (the deal's) execution, and prevent Israel's surrender to Hamas, after more than a year of bloody war, in which more than 400 IDF (Israel Defense Forces) soldiers fell in the Gaza Strip, and to ensure that their deaths are not in vain," Ben-Gvir said on X.

Smotrich said on Monday that he objects to the deal but did not threaten to bolt Netanyahu's coalition. A majority of ministers are expected to back the phased ceasefire deal, which details a halt to fighting and the release of hostages.

Ben-Gvir echoed remarks by Smotrich, who said on Monday Israel should keep up its military campaign in Gaza until the complete surrender of Palestinian group Hamas, whose Oct. 7 2023 attack caused the war.

About 1,200 people were killed in Hamas' 2023 assault on Israel and more than 250 others were taken hostage, according to Israeli tallies.

Since then, more than 46,000 people have been killed in Gaza, according to Palestinian health officials, with much of the enclave laid to waste and most its population displaced.

The United States, Qatar and Egypt have been mediating a ceasefire deal and agreements could be imminent, officials have said.

Some hostage families oppose the deal because they fear that the phased deal taking shape will see only some of the remaining 98 hostages freed and others left behind.

Successive surveys have shown broad support among the Israeli public for such a deal.