LONDON: Israeli forces fired two artillery shells into the western Damascus countryside on Friday, Syrian state media reported, the latest in a series of military actions inside the country this year.
The shells struck Tal Bat Al-Warda, a hill between Beit Jinn and Tal Al-Ahmar, and landed on agricultural land, Syria’s state news agency SANA said. No casualties were reported.
The reported shelling comes amid continued Israeli operations in Syria, including airstrikes, ground incursions and raids in the south.
On Aug. 18, Israeli warplanes struck Abu Al-Duhur air base near Idlib in northwestern Syria. The eight strikes damaged the runway and storage facilities, according to Syrian media.
Israel said it acted to prevent a Turkish military deployment at the base, a claim denied by Turkish and Syrian officials, who said Ankara had not planned to deploy air-defense systems there.
That same day, Israel fired an artillery shell toward a valley west of Abdeen in the Yarmouk Basin in western Daraa province, SANA reported. The strike caused no casualties or material damage.
Days later, on Aug. 22, an Israeli strike hit a vehicle in southern Syria near Damascus. Israel said it had targeted a “terrorist,” while Syria’s Foreign Ministry said the attack was carried out by a drone against a civilian vehicle.
Israel has continued military operations in southern Syria that Damascus says violate the 1974 Disengagement Agreement. Syrian authorities have accused Israeli forces of carrying out incursions, raiding civilian homes, making arrests, clearing land and shelling areas near the border.
Since the fall of longtime Syrian President Bashar Assad in December 2024, Israel has expanded its military presence in parts of southern Syria and launched extensive strikes against Syrian military assets. It has also called for southern Syria to remain demilitarized.
Israel says its actions are necessary to protect its security. Syria, the UN, rights groups and several countries have condemned the incursions and strikes as violations of Syrian sovereignty.
