An Israeli airstrike on Tuesday targeted a car near Damascus, killing Salman Jumaa, a senior Hezbollah operative who acted as the group’s liaison with the Syrian army.
According to Syrian state media and the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the strike occurred on the road to Damascus International Airport near a military airfield. Reports suggest the car was hit by an Israeli unmanned aerial vehicle. Jumaa, who was in the vehicle, was killed, while another passenger sustained injuries.
Israel reportedly eliminated Hezbollah’s liaison to the Syrian army, Saudi Al-Hadath and Reuters report. Salman Jumaa was killed in today’s airstrike on a car on the road leading to the Damascus airport in Syria. pic.twitter.com/Wlzocz1Is2
— Ariel Oseran (@ariel_oseran) December 3, 2024
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the strike, describing it as an intelligence-based operation aimed at disrupting Hezbollah’s activities in Syria. Jumaa was reportedly responsible for coordinating weapons transfers between the Syrian army and Hezbollah, as well as supporting smuggling operations critical to Hezbollah’s military infrastructure.
Salman Jumaa held a crucial position within Hezbollah, coordinating with the Syrian military to facilitate the group’s operations in the region. This included managing weapons shipments from Iran to Hezbollah through Syria, a key element of the group’s force-building efforts. The IDF’s statement emphasized that the operation was part of Israel’s broader strategy to weaken Hezbollah’s military presence and disrupt its logistical networks.
Israel has conducted hundreds of airstrikes in Syria since the country’s civil war began in 2011, targeting Iranian military infrastructure, arms shipments, and allied groups like Hezbollah. These operations are part of a long-standing Israeli policy to prevent Iran from establishing a strong foothold in Syria and transferring advanced weaponry to its proxies.
While Israel rarely acknowledges these strikes, it has been more vocal in recent months. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz have issued warnings to both Hezbollah and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad about the consequences of facilitating Iranian weapons transfers. Last month, Israel announced an airstrike on Hezbollah intelligence assets near Damascus, a rare public confirmation of such operations.
Tuesday’s airstrike occurred amid heightened tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, as both sides accused each other of violating a fragile ceasefire in southern Lebanon that began on November 27. Defense Minister Katz warned that if the ceasefire collapses, Israel would target hostile sites throughout Lebanon without exception.
