At least one person was killed and four others injured following a wave of Israeli airstrikes across multiple provinces in Syria overnight.

According to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), Israeli warplanes launched coordinated missile attacks late Friday targeting several sites across the country. The strikes hit Shatha village in Hama province, injuring four civilians, and the outskirts of Harasta in the Damascus countryside, where one person was killed. Additional attacks were reported in Daraa province, near the towns of Muthabin and Izraa.

The Israeli occupation military confirmed the operation, stating that 12 fighter jets had struck “dozens of targets” inside Syria, including air defense systems such as anti-aircraft artillery and surface-to-air missile platforms. The Israeli army claimed the strikes were part of ongoing efforts to "eliminate threats in the region" and indicated that similar operations may continue.

Syrian officials have described the strikes as aggressive and provocative, accusing Tel Aviv of trying to exploit internal dynamics, particularly within minority communities, to justify continued military actions. The attack follows a previous Israeli strike near the presidential palace in Damascus, interpreted by some analysts as a warning aimed at southern armed groups and possibly linked to recent statements from Druze leaders affirming their unity with the Syrian state and rejecting any form of separatism.

Syrian authorities reiterated that all ethnic and religious groups in the country, including the Druze community, are integral to the Syrian nation and equally represented within its political structure.

The strikes have drawn strong condemnation from Damascus, with government officials calling on the international community to hold Israel accountable for what they described as repeated acts of aggression and violations of international law.

“These attacks represent a clear escalation and a deliberate attempt to destabilize the region,” a Syrian foreign ministry statement read. “We demand an immediate cessation of Israeli hostilities and call upon the United Nations and international actors to enforce relevant resolutions ensuring the sovereignty of Syria.”

The latest airstrikes add to the growing tensions in the region, amid wider fears that continued Israeli military action in neighboring states could trigger a broader confrontation. (ILKHA)