Israeli airstrikes target Damascus countryside, Syria says
Israel launched missiles at military targets outside Damascus, Syria, causing material damage. Syrian air defenses intercepted some of these missiles. Iran, a major supporter of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, has been targeted by Israeli strikes due to its military involvement in the region. These strikes have increased following the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel. Since December, over half a dozen Iranian Revolutionary Guards officers have been killed in suspected Israeli strikes on Syria, leading to a reduction in the deployment of senior Iranian officers in Syria and a shift towards relying more on allied Shi’ite militia.