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A member of Syrian security forces stands guard at a damaged site, after Israel carried out an air strike on the Syrian capital Damascus on Thursday, as reported by Syria’s state news agency, March 13, 2025. [Firas Makdesi\/Reuters]<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
Israel stepped up airstrikes on Syria overnight, declaring the attacks a warning to the new Islamist rulers in Damascus as it accused their Turkish allies of trying to turn the country into a Turkish protectorate.<\/p>\n
The strikes, targeting air bases, a site near Damascus and the southwest, put renewed focus on Israeli concerns about the Islamists who deposed Bashar al-Assad in December, with Israeli officials viewing them as a rising threat at their border.<\/p>\n
The Israeli army, which seized ground in the southwest after Assad was toppled, said its forces killed several militants who opened fire on Israeli troops operating in that area overnight. Syria\u2019s state news agency SANA said that Israeli shelling had killed nine people in the area.<\/p>\n
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said that the airstrikes late on Wednesday evening were \u201ca clear message and a warning for the future \u2013 we will not allow the security of the State of Israel to be harmed.\u201d<\/p>\n
Katz said in a statement that Israel\u2019s armed forces would remain in buffer zones within Syria and act against threats to its security, warning Syria\u2019s government it would pay a heavy price if it allowed forces hostile to Israel to enter.<\/p>\n
Reflecting Israeli concerns about Turkish influence in the new Syria, Foreign Minister Gideon Saar accused Ankara of playing a \u201cnegative role\u201d there, in Lebanon and other regions.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey are doing their utmost to have Syria as a Turkish protectorate. It\u2019s clear that is their intention,\u201d he told a press conference in Paris.<\/p>\n
The Syrian foreign ministry said the Israeli strikes were an unjustified escalation aimed at destabilizing the country, calling on the international community to put pressure on Israel to \u201cstop its aggression.\u201d<\/p>\n
Israel bombed Syria frequently when the country was governed by Assad, targeting the foothold established by his ally Iran during the civil war.<\/p>\n
Air base destroyed<\/h3>\n
The strikes late on Wednesday night were some of the most intensive Israeli attacks in Syria since Assad was toppled.<\/p>\n
The Syrian foreign ministry said Israel struck five separate areas within a 30-minute window, resulting in the near-complete destruction of the Hama air base and wounding dozens of civilians and soldiers.<\/p>\n
The Israeli military said it had struck remaining military capabilities at air bases in Hama and Homs provinces, in addition to remaining military infrastructure in the Damascus area, where Syrian media and officials said the vicinity of a scientific research facility was hit.<\/p>\n
In Hama, a Syrian military source told Reuters a dozen strikes demolished the runways, tower, arms depots and hangars at the military airport. \u201cIsrael has completely destroyed Hama air base to ensure it is not used,\u201d the source said.<\/p>\n
Israel also said on Wednesday it targeted the T4 air base in Homs province, which it has repeatedly hit over the past week.<\/p>\n
In the incident in southwestern Syria, the Israeli military said its forces were operating in the Tasil area, \u201cconfiscating weapons and destroying terrorist infrastructure\u201d when several militants fired on them.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe forces responded with fire and eliminated several armed terrorists from the ground and air,\u201d the Israeli military said, adding there were no casualties among Israeli forces.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe presence of weapons in southern Syria constitutes a threat to the State of Israel,\u201d it said. \u201cThe IDF will not allow a military threat to exist in Syria and will act against it.\u201d [Reuters]<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n