16 Iranian Revolutionary Guards and Hezbollah Members Killed in Israeli Airstrikes on Syria

A Syrian monitoring group announced on Wednesday, December 15th, that in a possible Israeli airstrike targeting objectives in Deir ez-Zor province in eastern Syria, at least 16 Syrian military and Iran-backed militia personnel were killed.

Syria’s official news agency, SANA, reported Wednesday morning that Israeli fighter jets targeted areas in Deir ez-Zor and Bukamal in eastern Syria near the Iraqi border.

According to the report, military officials are investigating the damages and casualties of this strike.

In the same regard, the Syria Human Rights Observatory, based in London, also stated that 16 people were killed in these strikes.

The Syria Human Rights Observatory added that Israeli fighter jets conducted 18 airstrikes targeting two bases in the city of Deir ez-Zor and bases in Bukamal.

According to the report, five Syrian soldiers and 11 others, including members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, Iraqi Hezbollah, and the Fatimiyoun Brigade, were killed in these strikes.

The Fatimiyoun Legion consists of Afghan Shiites who were deployed to Syria by the Revolutionary Guards during Syria’s civil war.

Independent sources have not yet confirmed or denied the human rights observatory’s report.

The Israeli military has not responded to reports of airstrikes on Iranian-backed militia positions in eastern Syria as of the time of this publication.

Last Wednesday, Israel also targeted Iranian-backed militia positions in the village of al-Dour in Rif al-Suweida south of Damascus.

Since the start of Syria’s civil war in 2011, Israel has conducted hundreds of airstrikes and missile attacks on Syrian territory, stating their objective is to weaken Iranian forces and Hezbollah near Israel’s borders.

Israel considers Iran’s presence and influence, along with its allies, in Syria as “dangerous” to its security, and officials of this country say that Israeli airstrikes on Syria have reduced Iranian activities and presence in the region.

Source: Radio Farda