The Israel Air Force (IAF) launched a series of airstrikes on military sites in Syria’s southern province of Deraa late Monday night, targeting military headquarters and weapons depots, the Israeli military confirmed Tuesday.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the operation is aimed at eliminating potential security threats to Israel.
Aside from “headquarters and military sites containing weapons and military equipment belonging to the Syrian regime in southern Syria,” the IDF strikes also targeted “radar systems and detection equipment used to build an aerial intelligence picture,” according to IDF’s statement.
#Syria: Israeli warplanes are bombarding the town of Izra in the #Daraa province following the agreement between the interim government and the #SDF.
Ever since the fall of #Assad, Israel has been trying to undermine, destabilize and possibly partition the country. pic.twitter.com/8UEj8uB6VL
— Thomas van Linge (@ThomasVLinge) March 10, 2025
State-run Syrian Arab News Agency reported that “Israeli occupation aircraft carried out several strikes on the surroundings of the towns of Jbab and Izraa in the north of Deraa.” Two Syrian security sources, speaking to Reuters, reported that at least six strikes hit a military base in Jbab, while another eight targeted a former Syrian army facility in Izraa.
The U.K.-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) confirmed that 17 Israeli airstrikes struck two former Syrian military installations: Artillery Regiment 89 and the 12th Brigade. These installations were previously under Assad’s control before his regime collapsed late last year.
The observatory reported that no casualties have been recorded so far.
The Israeli military has carried out 2 airstrikes on military bases of the Syrian Army in Izraa and Jbab (98th regiment and 13th regiment base)
Israeli helicopters are flying across southern Syria pic.twitter.com/Tcq4eB3w4l
— ScharoMaroof (@ScharoMaroof) March 10, 2025
Following Monday’s strikes, Israeli security officials relayed a message to Syria’s transitional government, led by Ahmed al-Sharaa, through intermediaries. The message made clear that Israel would not tolerate the Sunni rebel group Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) or other armed factions using former Syrian military installations to build new bases.
“Any attempt to do so will be met with direct military action,” the officials stated.
Israel’s military operations in Syria have significantly increased since Assad’s fall. SOHR reported that Israeli forces carried out more than 500 air attacks on Syrian targets between December 8 and December 31, 2024. In the first two months of 2025 alone, Israel has conducted at least 21 documented strikes.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated last month that southern Syria must be fully demilitarized. He also warned that his government would not tolerate the presence of forces from the new government in Damascus, led by al-Sharaa, near Israeli territory.
Last week, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz labeled al-Sharaa “a jihadist terrorist of the al-Qaeda school,” citing reports of mass killings linked to his forces. On Monday, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar echoed the same sentiments, calling the new regime “pure evil.”
In an interview with Reuters, Sharaa called Israel’s accusations against him and Syria “nonsense.”
“They are the last ones who can talk,” he said, pointing out the massive civilian death toll in Israel’s brutal war on Gaza, in which at least 61,000 people have been killed.
