By Zein Khalil
JERUSALEM (AA) - The Israeli army said Tuesday evening that it conducted airstrikes on what it described as Hezbollah weapons depots in the Syrian city of Al Qusayr, near the Lebanese border.
A military statement said: “The IAF (air force) conducted an intelligence-based strike on weapons storage facilities used by Hezbollah's munitions unit in the area of Al Qusayr in Syria.”
“Hezbollah's munitions unit is responsible for the storage of weapons in Lebanon and has recently expanded its activities into Syria in the area of Al Qusayr, near the Syria-Lebanon border,” the statement claimed.
The military added that “this is a further example of Hezbollah establishing logistical infrastructure to transfer weapons from Syria to Lebanon through smuggling routes.”
This marks the second Israeli airstrike within 24 hours targeting what it says Hezbollah sites in Syria. There has been no immediate response from Hezbollah on Israel's latest claims.
On Monday evening, the Israeli military also reported strikes on Hezbollah intelligence facilities south of the Syrian capital, Damascus.
Meanwhile, Syria’s state news agency SANA reported that Israeli jets had targeted several civilian sites south of Damascus, causing material damage.
Israel rarely confirms its strikes within Syrian territory, typically remaining silent on its frequent air attacks on targets in Syria.
Israel has been conducting airstrikes in Syria since 2011 against government forces, Iranian troops and Hezbollah targets.
Regional tensions have escalated due to Israel’s brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip, which has killed nearly 43,400 people, mostly women and children, following an attack by the Palestinian group Hamas last October.
As the conflict spread to Lebanon with Israel launching deadly strikes across the country, more than 3,000 people have been killed and nearly 13,500 others injured since October last year, according to Lebanese health authorities.
Despite international warnings that the Middle East region is on the brink of a regional war amid Israel’s relentless attacks on Gaza and Lebanon, Tel Aviv expanded the conflict by launching a ground assault into southern Lebanon on Oct. 1.
*Writing by Mohammad Sio