Escalating Tensions: Israeli Strikes Hit Damascus and Homs

Israeli strikes on Damascus and Homs killed one soldier and injured seven. The attacks targeted the Kafr Sousa neighborhood and a military site near Homs, causing material damage. While Israel remains silent on these reports, it continues targeting Iranian-linked sites in Syria amid rising tensions.

Early on Thursday, Israeli strikes hit the Syrian capital Damascus and a military site near Homs, resulting in the death of one soldier and injuring seven others, according to a statement from the Syrian defense ministry.

The attacks specifically targeted the central Damascus neighborhood of Kafr Sousa and a region in the Homs countryside, causing significant material damage. The ministry did not provide further details on the extent of damage. Syrian state media previously reported explosions in Damascus, following an Israeli strike on a residential building in Kafr Sousa.

Israel traditionally refrains from commenting on specific strikes in Syria. Nevertheless, the nation has been conducting strikes against Iranian-linked targets in Syria for years, intensifying its raids since the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by the Palestinian militant group Hamas last year.

(With inputs from agencies.)