Strikes in Syria leave more than a dozen dead and more than 40 wounded, says Syrian state media

A highway in Masyaf where a fire reportedly caused by Israeli airstrikes has broken out. Credit: SANA

Israeli airstrikes in central Syria have killed more than a dozen people on Sunday and injured at least 40 others, the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reports.

There are said to have been several explosions and “air defence engagements” in the central region of Syria, including in the Tartous and Hama governorates, that resulted in multiple civilian casualties.

SANA said Syrian air defences had intercepted and shot down some of the missiles.

One of the strikes targeted a scientific research centre in Maysaf and others struck sites where “Iranian militias and experts are stationed to develop weapons in Syria,” the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military.

Israel has launched airstrikes in Syria intermittently since Hamas’ October 7 attacks last year dramatically escalated tensions in the region, and sparked daily exchanges of fire between Israel and Hezbollah across the Israeli-Lebanese border.

Hezbollah, which has attacked Israel in solidarity with Hamas, has maintained a strong presence in Syria since the 2011 Arab Spring protests, which in some parts of the Middle East spiraled into proxy wars.

In June, an Israeli airstrike near Aleppo killed an Iranian military adviser, Iranian media reported at the time.

And in April, Israel’s bombing of Iran’s embassy complex in Syria sparked a major confrontation between Iran and Israeli, bringing the Middle East to the brink of all-out war.

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know...