At least 42 individuals have lost their lives in airstrikes in northwest Syria, according to reports.
Syria’s defense ministry stated that Israeli aircraft targeted multiple locations in the Aleppo countryside at 01:45 on Friday (22:45 GMT Thursday).
A UK-based monitoring group indicated that Hezbollah militants and Syrian soldiers perished as a Hezbollah arms depot was struck.
Israel’s military later announced that it had eliminated a senior Hezbollah figure in an airstrike in Lebanon.
Ali Abed Akhsan Naim, identified as a deputy commander of the group’s missiles and rockets unit by the Israel Defense Forces, was held responsible for planning and executing attacks on Israeli civilians.
Footage released by Israel online depicted a moving vehicle, purportedly carrying him, exploding following a missile strike.
The strike occurred in the Bazuriyeh area, east of the port of Tyre, as per the IDF statement.
Hezbollah has not yet responded to the reports.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a UK-based monitoring organization, reported that the Aleppo attack resulted in the highest number of casualties (36) among Syrian forces in a single “Israeli attack.” Additionally, it stated that six Hezbollah fighters were killed.
According to a news agency, citing two security sources, five Hezbollah fighters were among the deceased, bringing the death toll to 38.
Syria’s defense ministry stated that civilians and Syrian military personnel were among the casualties. It mentioned that the airstrikes occurred “in conjunction with” drone attacks by “terrorist organizations” against Aleppo city and its environs, without providing further details.
Israel’s military declined to comment on foreign media reports.
The SOHR, which relies on a vast network of contacts in Syria, reported that the alleged Israeli airstrikes also caused multiple injuries, some severe.
It stated that the strikes targeted a weapons warehouse in the Jabrin area near Aleppo International Airport, as well as Syrian air defense facilities in Al-Saferah, approximately 20km (12.5 miles) southeast of Aleppo city. Explosions were also heard in the Kafr Joum area of western Aleppo.
In recent years, Israel has conducted numerous airstrikes in Syria targeting Hezbollah or Iranian assets. It has vowed to prevent Iran, Hezbollah’s primary supporter, from transferring advanced weaponry to the Lebanese group or bolstering its own military presence in Syria.
Iran and Hezbollah, both allies of Syria, oppose the existence of Israel. Alleged Israeli strikes on Syria have intensified since Hamas, also backed by Iran and Hezbollah, carried out attacks on Israel on October 7, triggering the conflict in Gaza.
Cross-border hostilities between Hezbollah in Lebanon and Israel have also escalated. Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon on Wednesday resulted in the deaths of 16 individuals, including Hezbollah fighters and other militants, marking the deadliest attacks of their kind since Hezbollah began launching rockets at Israel in support of Hamas on October 8.
Hours after the initial Israeli strike, a Hezbollah rocket barrage claimed the life of a 25-year-old man in northern Israel.
