Israeli Attack in Damascus Leaves Several Dead; Iran Strongly Condemns

The Syrian Ministry of Defense announced that seven people were killed in an Israeli airstrike targeting the "Sayyida Zaynab" area in southern Damascus; Iran strongly condemned the attack, while the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported the death of a Hezbollah official in the strike. According to the Syrian state news agency, the attack on Sunday afternoon, November 20, targeted a residential building in the "Sayyida Zaynab" area, killing seven civilians and injuring 20 others. Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, based in London, reported nine dead and 14 injured, identifying one of the deceased as a "senior Hezbollah official." The Observatory also stated that the targeted building housed "Hezbollah members" and Lebanese families. Israel typically does not comment on attacks attributed to it in Syria, and this marks the second such attack in less than a week. In this context, Ismail Baqaei, spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, condemned the attack strongly. According to IRNA, he also criticized what he called the "inaction of relevant international bodies" and called for actions against Israel, such as "arms sanctions" and "expulsion from the United Nations." "Sayyida Zaynab" or "Zainabiyah" in southern Damascus is one of the main bases for Hezbollah and Iranian-affiliated groups in Syria and has repeatedly been targeted by Israeli attacks. Razi Mousavi, a former commander of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in this area on December 25, 2023. Israeli attacks against Syrian territories have occurred in recent years, but the frequency of these attacks has increased since the onset of the Gaza war.