Israel Strikes Hizbullah Site in Southwest Syria, Warns Syria Against Cooperation With Hizbullah, Iran

Syrian media reported on Monday that an Israeli artillery strike targeted a site belonging to Hizbullah, the Iran-backed, Lebanon-based Shiite Muslim armed group. near Quneitra in southwest Syria. The Qurs al-Nafl site, located near the Syrian-Israeli border, was reportedly hit by 20 shells fired by the Israeli military. The Lebanese Al Mayadeen TV said no injuries were reported in the attack. The site has been targeted repeatedly by alleged Israeli strikes in recent years.

Later in the morning, leaflets were reportedly dropped by the Israeli air force in the area, warning the Syrian Army against cooperating with Iran and Hizbullah. The leaflets stressed that such cooperation “brought more harm than benefit.” They included photos of Samer al-Dana, the commander of the 41st Brigade of the Syrian Army’s 4th Division, and an individual named Tariq Maher, who was identified as the head of Hizbullah intelligence in Syria.

The strike comes just a few days after Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said that Israel had “doubled” the pace of strikes in Syria in the first quarter of 2023 to prevent Iranian weapons deliveries. Last month, the IDF conducted airstrikes in the Damascus area and fired artillery shells and conducted drone strikes against rocket launchers in Syria after six rockets were fired in two waves toward the Golan Heights.