Israel Attacks Syria Twice, Western Intelligence Calls Shadow War Agreed

Illustration of a rocket attack on the Lebanese-Israeli border. (Source: jns.org/Haim Azulay/Flash90)

JAKARTA - The Syrian anti-aircraft defense system claimed to have successfully intercepted an Israeli military air strike in the Qusair area of Homs Province, according to Syrian state media Thursday, July 22 local time.

Citing The Jerusalem Post, Surah's military source said the attack this time caused some material damage. However, the source also said there were no casualties in this attack.

There is no comment from the Israeli military on this matter. However, in its development, they claim to be looking for two suspects who crossed the Israeli border with Lebanon last night. However, it did not say whether the intruders were armed or not.

The province of Homs, which borders Lebanon, is said to be one of the areas where the Iran-backed Shiite group Hezbollah holds sway along the border.

This attack is the second time in four days, after Israel carried out air strikes last Monday, in safe Syria also claiming to have intercepted an attack in Aleppo.

Security forces inspect the Israel-Lebanon border. (Wikimedia Commons/IDF Spokesperson's Unit photographer)

The target location is the Al-Safirah area in southern Aleppo, which has been the target of repeated attacks, due to the presence of Iranian military forces in the area.

Explosions were heard throughout Aleppo, which was Syria's most populous urban center and a pre-war commercial and industrial center. A Syrian military spokesman said the majority of the missiles fired were intercepted and dropped.

Syrian opposition forces said the airstrikes targeted Iranian Revolutionary Guard bases and weapons factories, following Israel's attacks on Iran's military research and development activities over the past year.

Although the Syrian government has never acknowledged the attack was aimed at Iranian assets, it said it was limited to a few advisers. However, a Syrian military source said Iran has a strong presence in the province in northern Syria, including elite Revolutionary Guard officers at the Kuweires military airbase 30 kilometers east of the city.

Separately, an Israeli military spokesman said they could not help but comment on foreign reports. Meanwhile, Israeli officials said earlier missile strikes had slowed Iran's stronghold in Syria.

Illustration of the Israel - Lebanon border. (Wikimedia Commons/Johnny Zoo)

The airstrikes are the first since the new Israeli government led by Naftali Bennett came to power last month. Prime Minister Bennett has vowed to maintain his predecessor's policy of containing Iran's military expansion in Syria, a development Israel's defense agency says has upset the region's strategic balance.

This attack on the border does not only involve the Israeli military and the Syrian military. The United States has also engaged in retaliation and strikes with Iran-backed militias, for repeated attacks on positions of international coalition forces in Iraq.

Thousands of Iranian-backed militias have continued to grow in numbers across Syria since last year, after helping Syrian President Bashar al-Assad regain territory once lost to rebels.

Meanwhile, Western intelligence sources say the increase in Israeli attacks in Syria, which has been going on since last year, is part of a shadow war sanctioned by the United States.

The attack is also part of an anti-Iran policy that in the past two years has undermined Iran's vast military might without initiating a major escalation in hostilities.