Israel Launches Airstrikes on Syria in Retaliation for Rockets Launched on Annexed Golan Heights

Israeli warplanes struck a Syrian military position overnight in response to rocket fire on the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights. The cross-border fire followed an air strike blamed on Israel that destroyed the Iranian consulate in Damascus, killing senior military commanders and raising regional tensions. The attack targeted Syrian army military infrastructure in the Mahajjah area, approximately 30 kilometers from the demilitarized zone. The Israeli military identified a rocket launch from Syrian territory on Monday, resulting in no casualties. Israel heightened its military readiness after last week’s deadly strike on the Iranian consulate, which killed seven Iranian Revolutionary Guards, including two generals. The region is already tense as Israel battles Hamas in Gaza and exchange near-daily fire with Hezbollah in Lebanon. The Gaza conflict was sparked by an unprecedented Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, resulting in the deaths of 1,170 people, mostly civilians, according to Israeli figures. Israel’s retaliation in Gaza has claimed at least 33,207 lives, predominantly women and children, according to Gaza’s health ministry. Israel captured the Golan Heights in the Six-Day War of 1967 and later annexed it, a move not internationally recognized.