Israel’s overnight strikes in Hama, central Syria, have killed 18 people, with dozens more wounded, the health minister confirmed Monday.
These attacks marked the deadliest since the war in Gaza began, targeting Iranian-linked sites and civilian areas.
One targeted site was a research center reportedly used for weapon development, according to war monitors.
Israel frequently strikes Iranian and Hezbollah military sites in Syria, but the intensity of this strike was unusual.
Syria’s state news agency said strikes hit areas in central Syria, sparking fires and damaging vital infrastructure.
Israeli military has yet to comment, though Israel rarely acknowledges its operations in Syria.
Syria’s health minister described the strikes as “brutal,” confirming nearly 40 wounded, while reports suggest higher numbers.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 25 were killed, including Syrian soldiers, Hezbollah members, and civilians.
The strikes targeted a scientific research center in Masyaf, linked to missile and drone development by Iranian experts.
Syria’s electricity minister said the strikes caused significant damage to water and electricity infrastructure in Hama province.
Firefighters and civilians were also wounded during the strikes as they worked to contain fires and assess the damage.
Local media reported more strikes near Tartous, with air defense missiles falling in the area.
Israel bombed the Iranian embassy in the Mezzeh district of Damascus, Syria in April, reportedly killing seven Iranian military advisers, including Mohammad Reza Zahedi, a senior commander in Iran’s Quds Force, an elite foreign espionage and paramilitary arm.