Tensions Escalate: Israeli Airstrikes Target Homs Province

On Wednesday, Israeli forces attacked Qusayr in Homs province, Syria. The strikes aimed to disrupt smuggling routes from Syria to Hezbollah in Lebanon. Syrian air defenses intercepted several targets. Israel has increased such attacks following a recent Hamas strike. Significant infrastructure damage was reported in the area.

An Israeli attack on Wednesday targeted the Qusayr region in the southern countryside of Homs, central Syria, according to Syrian state media. The strikes are part of Israel's ongoing efforts to disrupt weapon smuggling routes to Hezbollah from Syria, which have been linked to Iranian operations.

The Israeli military later confirmed the attacks, stating that their aim was to hinder routes facilitating the transfer of arms from Iran to Hezbollah via Syria. Reports from Syrian media indicated that the country's air defenses managed to intercept several of the aerial threats over the Homs countryside, although substantial damage was inflicted on infrastructure, especially bridges along the Syrian-Lebanese border.

Israel has a history of carrying out such raids on Iranian-linked targets within Syrian territory. However, the frequency of these strikes has intensified since the Oct. 7, 2023, offensive by Hamas militants against Israel, underscoring the escalating regional tensions.

(With inputs from agencies.)