BEIRUT: A war monitoring organization reported on Monday that 16 members from Iran-affiliated groups were killed in an Israeli strike near Aleppo in northern Syria. State media likewise affirmed the "dangerous Israeli assault."."
"The death toll from the Israeli strike on a factory in Hayyan, in the western Aleppo province, has increased to 16 members of pro-Iran groups, including both Syrian and foreign warriors," expressed the Syrian Observatory for Basic liberties.
The Britain-based Observatory, which relies on a network of sources within Syria, initially reported 12 deaths. It noted that pro-Iranian groups, consisting of local and foreign fighters, hold significant influence in the government-controlled area of Hayyan.
Since the onset of the civil war in Syria, Israel has conducted hundreds of strikes on its northern neighbor. These strikes have primarily targeted military positions and Iran-backed fighters, including the Hezbollah group. A statement from the Syrian defense ministry mentioned, "After midnight, the Israeli enemy launched an air attack from the southeast of Aleppo, targeting several positions" near the city. It reported "martyrs" and "some material damage."
While Israel seldom comments on specific strikes in Syria, it has consistently stated that it will not permit its arch-enemy Iran to expand its presence there.
According to the Observatory, Israeli strikes in western and central Syria on Wednesday resulted in the deaths of a girl and six fighters allied with Hezbollah, including three Syrians.
Hezbollah, which is allied with Hamas, has long supported Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the country's civil war.
In March, the Observatory reported that Israeli airstrikes near Aleppo's airport killed 52 people. The casualties included 38 government soldiers, seven Hezbollah members, and seven Syrian pro-Iran fighters.
"Iran's Tasnim news agency reported that during last night’s attack by the Zionist regime on Aleppo, Saeed Abyar, one of the IRGC advisers in Syria, was martyred," referring to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
The conflict in Syria, which began in 2011 following a crackdown on anti-government protests in Damascus, has claimed more than half a million lives and displaced millions more.
Published in Dawn, June 4th, 2024.
