DAMASCUS, Syria: At least 36 people were killed and more than 50 others wounded in Israeli air strikes in and around the Palmyra city of Syria on Wednesday, the Syrian Defence Ministry said.
“Around 1:30 p.m. this afternoon, the Israeli enemy launched an air attack from the direction of the Al-Tanf area, targeting a number of buildings in the city of Palmyra,” the Defence Ministry said in a statement.
The ministry said that Israeli strikes had killed 36 people and injured over 50, as well as causing “significant material damage”. The Israeli military declined to comment.
Syrian state news agency SANA reported that the strikes also led to ”significant material damage to the targeted buildings and the surrounding area. Palmyra is known for the historic Roman temple complex nearby.
Israel frequently targets military sites in Syria but rarely acknowledges the strikes. The death toll from Wednesday’s strike was unusually high.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported, as cited by Xinhua news agency, that the fatalities included four foreign fighters and seven Syrian nationals. The attack also injured dozens, including at least seven civilians, one of whom is in critical condition, SOHR stated.
According to the Observatory, Israeli aircraft targeted three separate sites in Palmyra, including two locations in the al-Jami’ah neighbourhood. One of the targets was a weapons warehouse near the industrial area. A third site nearby was also struck.
The Observatory said that Israeli warplanes flew over the southern province of Daraa before firing at Palmyra.
ALSO READ: Israeli Strike Kills Seven Near Damascus, Syria: War Monitor
Palmyra, located in the eastern countryside of Homs province, comprises a residential area and an archaeological site dating back to the Neolithic period.
Since the beginning of 2024, Israel has launched 152 attacks on Syrian sites, killing 303 soldiers and fighters as well as 62 civilians, Xinhua reported citing the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
The strike in Syria comes as negotiations are underway for a potential ceasefire between Israel and the Hezbollah group in Lebanon, but it is unclear if the ceasefire would include Syria, The Associated Press reported.
