The Israeli military confirmed on Monday that it carried out an airstrike on a military site in Qardaha, Syria, targeting a facility believed to house weapons from the former Syrian regime.
Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee announced on Telegram that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) struck the facility in Qardaha, the hometown of the former ruling Assad family,
due to “recent developments in the region.”
While specific details were not disclosed, the IDF has ramped up its strikes on Syrian territory in recent months, particularly against sites linked to Iranian-backed groups and the remnants of Syria’s previous government.
The airstrike in Qardaha coincided with reports of an explosion near the coastal city of Tartus.
Israel airstrikes on Hayat Tahrir al-Sham air defense system at Tartus naval base.
Its not going to be easy for them . pic.twitter.com/S9KyJhbLBn— Dana Levi דנה🇮🇱🇺🇸 (@Danale) March 3, 2025
“Air strikes carried out by Israeli occupation aircraft on the surroundings of Tartus city, without recording human losses so far,” Syrian state news agency SANA reported. “Civil defense and specialized teams are working to confirm the location of the targets,” it added.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a U.K.-based monitoring group, also confirmed the explosion and reported that aircraft, “likely Israeli,” were seen flying in the area.
Defense journalist Babak Taghvaee reported that the Israel Air Force has targeted equipment and ships associated with the new Syrian forces.
#Breaking: The #Israel Air Force is currently targeting and destroying equipment, vessels, and ships belonging to the new #Syrian Jihadist Navy in #Tartus. The patrol boats, radar, and surveillance systems recently delivered by #Turkey to the #Syrian regime of Al-Joulani (Ahmad… pic.twitter.com/3l8rTyKSkD
— Babak Taghvaee – The Crisis Watch (@BabakTaghvaee1) March 3, 2025
The strike comes following Israel’s assertion that southern Syria must be completely demilitarized.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently warned against the presence of military forces in areas bordering Israel, particularly in the Golan Heights, which Israel seized from Syria in 1967. Syrian national dialogue participants have condemned Israel’s ongoing military actions, calling for international pressure to halt Israeli operations.
Over the weekend, Israel also threatened to take action if Syria’s new leaders harmed the country’s Druze community, following unrest in a Damascus suburb that is home to members of the religious minority.
