Syria says soldier killed, three wounded in Israeli strikes
One Syrian soldier was killed and three others were injured in Israeli air strikes against military sites and a residential building in Damascus early on Sunday, the Syrian army said.
One Syrian soldier was killed and three others were injured in Israeli air strikes against military sites and a residential building in Damascus early on Sunday, the Syrian army said.
The army said in a statement that the attacks were launched from the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
For years Israel has been carrying out attacks against what it has described as Iran-linked targets in Syria, where Tehran's influence has grown since it began supporting President Bashar al-Assad in the civil war that started in 2011.
Reported Israeli strikes on Syria have intensified sharply since the start of the war in Gaza last October.
Sunday's strikes targeted "a number of our military sites in the southern region and one of the residential buildings in the Kafar Souseh area in the city of Damascus," the Syrian army said in a statement.
"Our air defence systems confronted the enemy's missiles despite their density and shot down a considerable number of them."
Israel's army said its strikes were in response to the launch of two drones from Syria towards the north of Eilat on Saturday, which it said were intercepted.
"Overnight, the IDF struck a Syrian military command center and infrastructure sites. Additionally, terror targets used by the Syrian military's Aerial Defense Unit were struck," it added.
In April, an alleged Israeli strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus resulted in the death of Mohammad Reza Zahedi, a high-ranking Quds Force commander and several other IRGC officers. In retaliation, the Islamic Republic launched a barrage of missiles and drones toward Israel.
Israeli officials, despite their usual silence on such operations, have consistently declared their determination to prevent Iran from expanding its foothold in Syria.
(Reporting by Reuters)
The military leaders included Chief of Staff Mohammad Bagheri, IRGC Chief Hossein Salami, Army Commander Abdolrahim Mousavi, Police Chief Ahmad-Reza Radan, and Defense Minister Mohammad Reza Ashtiani.
Despite a history of tensions with some past governments, Bagheri declared, "The armed forces are ready to assist the new government in advancing the country's affairs."
Last week, the IRGC chief-commander had congratulated Pezeshkian on his election victory, stressing the Revolutionary Guard's "all-out preparedness" for enhanced cooperation with the incoming administration.
The IRGC, founded after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, has grown into a powerful entity with substantial military, economic, and political influence. Its hardline stance contrasts sharply with the reformist agenda of greater political openness, economic liberalization, and improved relations with the West.
Administrations, like those of Presidents Mohammad Khatami and Hassan Rouhani, pushed for engagement with the West, while the IRGC remains committed to preserving revolutionary principles and resisting Western influence. This has led to frequent power struggles, with the IRGC often undermining their policies and supporting hardline candidates.
Former centrist President Hassan Rouhani sharply criticized the IRGC in 2017 for exerting influence over political and economic affairs. However, Pezeshkian, who is presented by some as a reformer, has pledged to follow policies charted by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Economically, reformist attempts to curb the IRGC's dominance in sectors like construction, telecommunications, and energy have been met with resistance, as the IRGC seeks to maintain its economic stronghold.
