Late on Sunday, Israeli airstrikes targeted the area around Masyaf in Syria’s Hama province, killing at least 14 people, according to Syria’s state news agency. The strikes reportedly hit a major military research center near Masyaf, believed to be involved in chemical weapons production and housing Iranian military experts.
Israel has not commented on the strikes, which are part of its increased military activity following the October 7 attacks by Hamas on Israeli targets. Israel has since intensified strikes against Iranian-backed militias and Syrian military positions.
The strikes occurred around 11:20 PM local time, with Israeli missiles launched from northwestern Lebanon. Syrian air defenses reportedly intercepted some of the missiles. Local health officials reported 43 injuries, with several people in critical condition, and two fires were caused by the strikes.
This is the most significant attack on Syria since the recent conflict in Gaza. In April, suspected Israeli warplanes bombed Iran’s embassy in Syria, killing seven Iranian military advisers.