Syria strongly condemns deadly Israeli airstrikes on central province

Damascus: Syria on Monday strongly condemned the overnight Israeli airstrikes on military sites in the central province of Hama, which have killed 16, including four civilians, and injured 36 others, six of whom remained in critical condition. In a statement, the Syrian Foreign Ministry condemned in the strongest terms the Israeli airstrikes, slamming them as a continuation of Israeli "aggression" on Syrian territory, and accusing Israel of seeking to escalate tensions in the region through repeated violations of Syrian airspace and aggressive actions. The ministry also pointed to Israel's ongoing military operations in Gaza and the West Bank, accusing the Israeli government of committing "genocide" against Palestinians. These actions, the statement noted, are pushing the region towards dangerous instability with unforeseeable consequences. Syria attributed Israel's actions to the "unlimited support" it receives from the United States and other Western nations, accusing them of complicity in the ongoing h ostilities. The ministry called on the international community to hold Israel accountable for its "crimes" and to take a firm stance against what it described as blatant violations of international law. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, reported that the strikes, among the most intense in months, targeted the Scientific Research Center and other sites in the city of Masyaf, killing civilians and military personnel. Local officials reported that the airstrikes caused significant damage to critical infrastructure, disrupting telecommunications, electricity, and water systems. Efforts are underway to repair the damage and restore water services as soon as possible, said Syrian Water Resources Minister Hussein Makhlouf. Syria's Ministry of Transport reported significant damage to the road connecting the provinces of Hama and Tartous. The airstrikes also sparked fires in the forested areas along the Masyaf-Wadi al-Oyoun road and Hair Abbas, with explosions heard across the region. The Observatory noted that the attack was part of Israel's ongoing strikes in Syria, with 64 attacks reported so far in 2024. Source: The Namibia News Agency