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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)
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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.

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Baghdad Urges Washington to Prevent ‘Imminent’ Israeli Strikes

Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
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Baghdad Urges Washington to Prevent ‘Imminent’ Israeli Strikes

Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)
Sudani visiting a market in Baghdad on Thursday (Government media)

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani on Thursday called on major powers to “exert greater efforts to end the war in Palestine and Lebanon.” Meanwhile, an Iraqi government official urged the United States to “prevent any attacks on the country,” referring to potential Israeli strikes.
During a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Al-Sudani stressed the importance of ensuring the conflict does not escalate “to a level that threatens regional and global stability.”
The Iraqi prime minister’s appeal comes amid reports suggesting that Israel may launch strikes on Iraq in retaliation for attacks by Iraqi armed factions targeting Israeli positions.
The Iraqi government is striving to assert its exclusive authority over weapons and war-related decisions. However, armed factions affiliated with the Axis of Resistance openly claim responsibility for near-daily rocket attacks on Israel. This has provided Israel with a justification for potentially targeting Iraqi territory, especially after it filed a complaint with the UN Security Council against six Iraqi factions and held Baghdad responsible for the attacks.
These factions have also openly declared their involvement in the ongoing conflict with Israel in Lebanon and Gaza. The Iraqi government has been unable to take decisive action to halt the activities of these factions, which many believe could soon expose Iraq to an Israeli strike.
According to media reports, Washington has warned Baghdad that Israeli airstrikes on Iraq are “imminent” unless the Iraqi government curtails attacks by Iranian-backed factions on Israel. The Times of Israel cited sources indicating that the United States has “exhausted all means of pressure on Israel” and urged Iraq to act swiftly to prevent such attacks.
Despite repeated assurances from the Iraqi government—including its recent adoption of 12 measures by the National Security Council to counter Israeli threats and complaints—the situation remains tense. These measures include monitoring Iraq’s western borders, preventing factions from launching attacks, and maintaining Iraq’s neutrality in the ongoing conflict.
On Wednesday, Abu Hussein Al-Hamidawi, Secretary-General of Kata’ib Hezbollah, made a striking statement on the role of resistance factions in the war and their commitment to the Unity of Fronts doctrine frequently mentioned by Axis of Resistance groups.
In an interview published by the faction’s media arm, Al-Hamidawi said: “The continuity of the Unity of Fronts concept depends on what the Lebanese Hezbollah decides.”
Al-Hamidawi also emphasized that resistance factions are constantly coordinating internally and with external partners such as Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Palestinian resistance leaders.
“We aim to ensure that the Palestinian people are not left alone and that the Unity of Fronts remains intact,” he stated.
Fadi Al-Shammari, a political advisor to Sudani, reiterated that Israel’s threats “are not new,” citing the recent complaint filed by Israel with the UN Security Council as part of its pattern of issuing threats.
In media statements, Al-Shammari reaffirmed the Iraqi government’s long-standing position: “The decision of war and peace lies solely with the Iraqi government.”
He noted that the factions’ attacks are being launched from areas outside Iraq’s borders, specifically from Syria. However, he stressed that the Iraqi government is working through its security and military agencies to prevent Iraq from becoming a battlefield for external or internal parties.
Al-Shammari also called on the United States to fulfill its responsibilities under the Strategic Framework Agreement and security pact with Iraq, emphasizing the need to deter and respond to any external attacks that threaten Iraq’s internal security.