Israeli fighter jets launched an airstrike on a residential building in Damascus on Thursday, which the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) described as a nerve center for the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) to plan and coordinate attacks.
The strike targeted an apartment in the Dummar suburb, northwest of the Syrian capital. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that one person was killed in the attack. However, a PIJ member at the scene, Ismail Sindak, claimed that the apartment belonged to the group’s leader, Ziad Nakhaleh, but had been vacant for years. Sindak asserted that Nakhaleh was not in Syria at the time of the strike.
“The IDF will not allow terrorist organizations to entrench themselves in Syrian territory and operate against the State of Israel, and will respond forcefully to any such entrenchment,” the Israeli military stated, releasing footage of the strike.
PIJ, an Iran-backed group opposed to Israel, played a role in the October 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel, which resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages taken. The group was involved in the ceasefire negotiations in January and is believed to still hold some of the remaining hostages.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed the strike, adding, “Wherever terror activity against Israel is organized, the extreme Islamic leader al-Jolani will find the Air Force aircraft flying above and striking terror targets.” He was referring to Syria’s interim leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, who previously led the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).
Sharaa’s government, which took power after ousting Bashar al-Assad, has pledged to protect minority groups but has also opposed Israeli military operations in Syria. On Thursday, Sharaa signed Syria’s new constitutional declaration, set to govern the country during a five-year transition period.
Meanwhile, Israeli officials have expressed skepticism about Sharaa’s leadership, particularly following recent clashes that resulted in the deaths of Alawite civilians, blamed on government forces. The situation in Syria remains tense as various factions vie for control.
Source: https://www.timesofisrael.com/idf-strikes-alleged-islamic-jihad-nerve-center-in-damascus-said-to-be-leaders-house/