The Israeli military released a statement indicating Rafa Salama, commander of the Hamas’ Khan Younis brigade in Gaza, was Fatally struck in an airstrike on Saturday. Also targeted was Mohammed Deif, head of the armed faction of Hamas. Salama, who is cited as one of Deif’s closest aides, was implicated in strategizing Hamas’ infamous October 7th attack. His demise has produced a considerable setback in Hamas’ military operations, asserted the Israeli military. Yet, Hamas has not substantiated Salama’s death.
Simultaneously, a Syrian soldier lost his life, and three others sustained injuries in Israeli air strikes, executed on military sites and a residential edifice in Damascus, Syria on Sunday morning, as reported by the Syrian army.
Israel has maintained a record of continuous assaults against what is believed to be Iran-linked targets in Syria due to the increase of Iranian prominence since backing President Bashar al-Assad during the civil war of 2011. In the wake of the Gaza war that erupted last October, Israeli strikes on Syria became more frequent.
Sunday’s assaults were aimed at multiple military sites in the southern region and a residential block in the Kafar Souseh district of Damascus city, as per the Syrian army’s statement. The country’s air defence systems managed to counter and destroy many missiles despite their numbers, the army claimed.
In response to the two drones launched from Syria to the north of Eilat on Saturday, the Israeli army struck a Syrian military command hub and facilities. Terror locations exploited by the Aerial Defense Unit of the Syrian military were also targeted, Israel’s army stated.