Hezbollah Representative Killed in Syrian Army Due to Israeli Airstrike

Following an Israeli airstrike on Tuesday, December 3, targeting a vehicle near Damascus, the capital of Syria, Salman Nimer Jumaa, a senior member of Hezbollah Lebanon and the coordinator of this group within the Syrian army, was killed. The Israeli army, in a statement, identified Salman Jumaa as a 'key figure of Hezbollah in the Syrian military system for the transfer of weapons' and added that 'the Syrian regime, by supporting Hezbollah,' allows this group to use Syria for transferring weapons to Lebanon, thus 'endangering the lives of Syrian and Lebanese citizens.' In this statement, the killing of Salman Jumaa was described as causing damage to the 'communication and deployment of the terrorist organization Hezbollah in Syria and preventing the strengthening of this organization.' According to the Israeli army's statement, Salman Jumaa, as one of the veteran members of Hezbollah, has played 'various roles in this terrorist organization' and has been particularly active in the Syrian sector. The Israeli army added that Salman Jumaa was responsible for intelligence in the Al-Khayyam area and was later given responsibility for the group's operations in Damascus, and in recent years, he was appointed as Hezbollah's representative in the Syrian army. According to the Israeli army's statement, Salman Jumaa acted as an intermediary between Hezbollah operatives and Syrian army officials and assisted in the transfer of weapons from Syrians to 'the terrorist organization Hezbollah.' Additionally, he had close ties with senior Syrian officials. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had previously warned that Bashar al-Assad, the President of Syria, was 'playing with fire' by allowing the Islamic Republic to transfer weapons to its allies through Syria. Since the onset of the Syrian civil war in 2011, Israel has conducted hundreds of attacks in Syria, primarily targeting the army and groups supported by the Islamic Republic, including Hezbollah Lebanon. Israel rarely comments on such attacks but has repeatedly stated that it will not allow the Iranian regime to expand its presence in this country. Meanwhile, reports indicate an escalation of conflicts between the Syrian government and Bashar al-Assad's opponents. Reuters reported on clashes between the U.S.-backed Kurdish militia coalition known as the Syrian Democratic Forces and Bashar al-Assad's forces in northeastern Syria, indicating the formation of a new front in the Syrian war. The United States has about 900 military personnel in Syria, aimed at combating the Islamic State (ISIS). Washington also collaborates with the Syrian Democratic Forces. A security source in eastern Syria and a source from the Syrian army told Reuters that airstrikes targeted Iranian-backed militia groups in a sensitive strategic area. These sources attributed the airstrikes to the U.S.-led military coalition fighting against ISIS in Syria. Reuters could not independently confirm this matter, and the coalition had not responded to the news agency's request for comment by the time of the report. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, based in London, also reported on Tuesday that following artillery fire at the U.S. base in the Koniko gas field, 'international coalition' warplanes led by the United States targeted positions of 'Iranian militants' in the Al-Quriya and Al-Mayadeen deserts in Deir ez-Zor. The organization stated that no casualties were reported following these attacks. The U.S. Department of Defense, in response to a question from the Persian section of Voice of America regarding this matter, stated that it is investigating the issue. According to Reuters, the fighting around villages across the Euphrates River complicates military conditions for Assad as his forces are focused on ongoing rebel attacks near Hama, another major city in the vicinity of this city. His regime also lost control of the city of Aleppo a few days ago. Reuters added that last week's surprise attacks by rebels led by the 'Hayat Tahrir al-Sham' group have posed the most significant challenge to Bashar al-Assad in recent years and have affected the front lines of the civil war in Syria, which had largely remained unchanged since 2020. In recent days, Russian warplanes have also increased airstrikes against rebels, and Syrian state media reported on attacks by the Syrian army and Russia on their positions in the northern countryside of Hama. Meanwhile, according to Reuters, aid workers say that targeting hospitals in Aleppo and Idlib has resulted in civilian casualties. Since the beginning of the Syrian civil war in 2011, hundreds of thousands have been killed, and millions have been displaced. Since then, Bashar al-Assad has managed to maintain power with the support of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Russia, and Hezbollah militants. This support has faced obstacles following the devastating damages inflicted by Israel on the Islamic Republic's proxy forces in the past two months. Recent developments in Syria and the advance of Assad's opponents, the Israeli drone strike on a vehicle on the Damascus airport road, Turkey's emphasis on dialogue between Assad and opponents and maintaining Syria's territorial integrity, the U.S. call for an end to the Islamic Republic's interventions in Syria, U.S.-UAE discussions about lifting sanctions on Assad in exchange for distancing from Iran, the arrival of Iranian-backed militants in Syria to assist 'Assad', and the escalation of conflict between Assad's opponents and the Syrian army; Zarif traveled to Damascus and Ankara.