Israeli airstrike claims lives of 36 Syrian soldiers near Aleppo

An airstrike conducted by Israel in Syria's Aleppo province resulted in the deaths of at least 36 Syrian soldiers, as reported by a monitoring group.

The strike specifically targeted an area close to Hezbollah's rocket storage facilities, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The attack led to casualties among both military personnel and civilians, with the targeted location situated near Aleppo's international airport.

The Syrian state news agency, SANA, confirmed the incident, mentioning civilian casualties besides military losses.

A Syrian military official informed SANA that the attack occurred around 1:45 a.m. and originated from the Athriya region southeast of Aleppo.

Israel, when contacted, declined to provide comments on the reports. 

Israel has conducted numerous airstrikes in Syria since the onset of the civil war in 2011, primarily aiming to disrupt Hezbollah's supply routes to Lebanon.

The frequency of these attacks has risen following Israel's conflict with Hamas in Gaza that began on Oct. 7.

The Gaza war was initiated with unprecedented assaults by Hamas, resulting in significant casualties in Israel, predominantly civilians.

In response, Israel launched retaliatory measures in Gaza, causing substantial casualties, particularly among women and children, according to health authorities in Gaza. 

The ongoing conflict has led to heightened tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, an ally of Hamas, raising concerns about a broader regional conflict.

Clashes between Israel and Hezbollah have resulted in casualties in Lebanon, including fighters from Hezbollah and civilians.

The displacement of populations and casualties have been reported in both Lebanon and northern Israel.

Hezbollah, although a Lebanese group, has been involved in supporting President Bashar al-Assad in Syria since the uprising against his regime began in 2011.

The conflict in Syria has evolved into a complex civil war involving various local and international actors, with Hezbollah maintaining its presence in the region. 

Recently, an airstrike in a Damascus suburb resulted in injuries Syrian state media attributed to two individuals to Israel.

The targeted area, Sayyida Zeinab, is known to host pro-Iranian armed groups, including Hezbollah. 

 Source: AFP