Israel Hits Syria's Coast with Overnight Strikes: A New Chapter in a Long-Standing Conflict
Israel overnight pounded Syria's coastal region with intense airstrikes, hitting former military positions, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based war monitor. The move came in the wake of the fall of the Assad regime earlier this month.
Targets and Impact The strikes reportedly hit air defense sites and missile storage facilities, triggering powerful secondary explosions due to the detonation of stored missiles. With 18 airstrikes described as "the most violent" in the area since 2012, these attacks highlight Israel's ongoing strategy to neutralize Syria's military capabilities and prevent arms from falling into the hands of extremist groups.
Earlier in the day, Israel also targeted radar installations in the eastern Deir al-Zour military airport, showcasing the geographical breadth of its military campaign across Syria.
Israel's Strategic Objectives
While the Israeli military has declined to comment, officials have said in the past that the operations are intended to prevent the use of military assets by extremist groups. The strikes come after an alliance of rebel factions seized power in Syria, marking a new dynamic in the region's volatile geopolitical landscape.
Israel, since the fall of the Assad regime, has escalated its operations, reportedly having launched over 450 strikes against Syrian military infrastructure, including destruction of naval assets, airbases, ammunition depots, and other key installations.
Territorial Occupation and Golan Heights Expansion
Apart from the airstrikes, Israel has grabbed and occupied a stretch of land on the Syrian side of the de facto border, which happens to be parts of Mt. Hermon, to reinforce this military attitude in maintaining security borders around Israel, in response to emerging instability within Syria.
On Sunday, the Israeli government voted to approve a contentious plan that will expand settlements in the Golan Heights, a region Israel captured during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. Though international law considers the territory to be illegally occupied, Israel's government has devoted $11 million to double its population in the Golan, framing the expansion as a security necessity given the "new front" on its border.
Rebel Government's Response
Ahmed al-Shara, leader of the coalition that now governs Syria, criticized Israel’s actions, labeling them as territorial aggression under the guise of security concerns. However, he emphasized that Syria’s priority lies in reconstruction and stability after years of devastating conflict.
"Syria's war-weary condition, after years of conflict and war, does not allow for new confrontations," said Mr. al-Shara during an interview. He underlined that pursuing diplomatic solutions, not military engagement, would help in rebuilding the war-torn nation.
The strikes and territorial expansion by Israel have wide ramifications in the region. With Russian naval bases along the coast of Syria, the historically complex relationship between Israel and Syria and their neighbors makes for an added layer of tension pulled across the Middle East.
These developments are likely to be scrutinized by the international community, especially in the context of Israel's occupation of the Golan Heights and the broader ramifications of its military actions in Syria.
What's Next for Syria?
Of greater immediate concern for Syria amidst these changes in regime and an increased presence of external pressures is its concern for reconstruction and stability. At this point, it would yet remain in doubt whether the rebel coalition could hold together internally with some potential threats:
For Israel, the strikes mark a move of commitment to the nation's security interests but further show how long-term implications brought out by military actions and territorial expansion are not yet digested.
In a region marked by decades of conflict, the latest developments hint at a turning point, one that may reshape the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East for years to come.