Increase in Deaths and Injuries from Israeli Airstrike on Iranian Proxies in Syria

Syrian state media reports that at least 14 people were killed in nighttime attacks in Syria, for which Israel is held responsible, in the central province of Hama. Previously, a Syrian war monitoring group reported that an Israeli strike on targets in Syria late Sunday killed at least seven people, including three civilians. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights stated that the attack also injured at least 15 others and destroyed military facilities in the area. Since the onset of the Syrian civil war in 2011, Israel has conducted hundreds of strikes in the country, particularly targeting groups supported by the Islamic Republic. According to Agence France-Presse, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the death toll from Israeli attacks in the Masyaf area of central Syria has reached seven. The group, which monitors the conflict in Syria and has a wide network of activists inside the country, noted that in the Sunday night attack, three civilians, including a man and his son in a vehicle, and four unidentified soldiers were killed. The group previously stated, 'Thirteen powerful explosions occurred in an area in Masyaf where scientific research centers are located, and pro-Iran groups and weapon development experts are present.' The state news agency SANA earlier reported, citing a medical source, that five people were killed and 19 injured near Masyaf. SANA, quoting a Syrian military source, claimed that 'our air defense shot down several missiles.' Israel typically does not confirm or deny responsibility for such attacks. This strike comes at a time when Iranian officials have been stating for weeks that they will retaliate against Israel for the killing of Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of the terrorist group Hamas, in Tehran. Some reports suggest that the Islamic Republic is concerned that a potential attack on Israel and Israel's response could lead to the destruction of its nuclear facilities. Additionally, see: Araqchi 26 days after Haniyeh's killing: Iran's response will be 'certain.' A senior U.S. military official stated that the risk of a broader war in the Middle East has decreased, but the Islamic Republic remains a significant threat. Israeli fighter jets attacked several Hezbollah buildings in southern Lebanon. An unprecedented visit by the Jordanian Foreign Minister to Tehran aims to reduce tensions; the region must live in 'peace, security, and stability.' Reuters: Iranian officials and proxies are discussing 'retaliatory action against Israel.'