Syria’s defense ministry reported that two civilians were killed in an Israeli airstrike on a vehicle in the Mazzeh district of Damascus on Monday afternoon. This area, which houses embassies and security headquarters, has been targeted in previous strikes attributed to Israel.
The ministry stated that the airstrike occurred at approximately 5:05 PM local time (14:17 GMT), injuring three others and causing significant material damage to nearby properties. Initial reports from the official SANA news agency described the explosion as a car bomb incident, with an AFP correspondent noting damage to a hotel and multiple vehicles incinerated at the blast site, close to Syria’s Information Ministry.
Earlier this year, an Israeli strike in Mazzeh reportedly killed seven members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, prompting Iran to retaliate with its first direct missile and drone attacks against Israel. The Syrian government had also stated that an Israeli airstrike earlier this month resulted in seven civilian deaths, while the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported a higher toll of nine, including five civilians and a child.
While Israeli authorities typically refrain from commenting on specific strikes in Syria, they have consistently maintained their stance of preventing Iran from expanding its military presence in the country. Iran and Lebanon’s Hezbollah have been key allies of the Syrian government throughout the ongoing civil war, which began in 2011.