Sending a Message to Assad: New Details behind the Unusual Attack in Syria Blamed on Israel

Friday, 22 November 2024 | Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition organization based in London, reported Thursday evening that at least 82 terrorists and commanders in the pro-Iranian militias and the Lebanese Hezbollah organization were killed in the unusual attack in Syria attributed to Israel in Tadmor. According to the group, 56 of the dead are Syrians affiliated with the pro-Iranian militias, and 22 are of non-Syrian nationality, most of them from the pro-Iranian Iraqi al-Nujaba militia. Next to them, four Hezbollah members also were killed.

If the reports are correct, it appears that this is a message to Syrian President Bashar Assad, who is hosting senior members of Hezbollah and therefore Israel is increasing the pressure on the terrorist organization, precisely at the height of negotiations toward a ceasefire and maximizing success in hitting it not only in Lebanon.

Najat Rochdi, the UN's special deputy envoy for Syria, expressed concern about the escalation in the region, telling the UN Security Council [UNSC] that "the Israeli attacks are probably the deadliest that have hit Syria so far." According to her, "Israeli attacks in Syria have increased significantly, both in frequency and scope." 

After Wednesday's attack, which targeted the city of Tadmor in the Syrian desert, the Ministry of Defense in Syria claimed that Israel attacked from the air from the area of ​​the American military base at Tanaf, which is located in the Syria–Jordan–Iraq border triangle. The ministry has so far reported only 36 deaths, in contrast to the number stated by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, and also significant material damage to the buildings that came under attack and their surroundings.

In the report, the Syrian Observatory stated that the attack was aimed at three separate sites in the city of Tadmor, two of them in the Al-Jamaiya neighborhood; One of the sites is a weapons depot near an industrial area.  The area reportedly is home to pro-Iranian activists who have Iraqi citizenship. And in the third site that was attacked, according to the Syrian Observatory, there was a meeting of leaders from the pro-Iranian militias who are in Tadmor, including senior officials from the pro-Iranian Iraqi al-Nujaba militia and a leader from Hezbollah.