Israel conducted a significant series of airstrikes on Syria's coastal region overnight, as reported by a war monitor on Monday. This military action is part of Israel's ongoing efforts to dismantle Syria's military capabilities following the recent power shift to rebel groups.
The airstrikes targeted former Syrian Army positions, including air defense systems and missile storage facilities, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based organization monitoring the conflict. Earlier, an Israeli airstrike also hit radar installations at the military airport in Deir al-Zour, located in eastern Syria.
The Observatory characterized the strikes along the Syrian coast, which hosts Russian naval bases, as the most intense in the region since 2012, noting that 18 airstrikes occurred in rapid succession, leading to secondary explosions from detonated missiles in warehouses.
The Israeli military has not commented on the strikes. Israeli officials have previously stated that their operations in Syria aim to prevent military equipment from falling into the hands of "extremists," following the ousting of the Assad regime by a coalition of rebel groups earlier this month. There were no immediate reports of casualties from the recent airstrikes, according to the Observatory.
Since the collapse of the Assad government, Israel has conducted over 450 strikes in Syria, targeting the navy, air bases, ammunition depots, and other military assets.
Additionally, Israel has occupied territory in Syria along the de facto border, including areas on the Syrian side of Mt. Hermon. The Israeli military has not provided a timeline for its withdrawal, stating it will remain until its security requirements are fulfilled.
On Sunday, the Israeli government approved plans to expand settlements in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, part of an $11 million initiative aimed at doubling the population in the area. The Prime Minister's office indicated that this expansion was necessary due to a "new front" that emerged on Israel's border with Syria following the Assad government's fall.
The Golan Heights was seized by Israel during the Arab-Israeli War of 1967 and is regarded as illegally occupied under international law.
Ahmed al-Shara, the leader of the rebel coalition now governing Syria, stated in an interview that Israel is using justifications to enact "unwarranted" territorial seizures in Syria. However, he emphasized that Syria cannot afford further conflict and is instead focusing on diplomatic resolutions.
Al-Shara remarked, "Syria’s war-weary condition, after years of conflict and war, does not allow for new confrontations. The priority at this stage is reconstruction and stability, not being drawn into disputes that could lead to further destruction."