Israel Launches Missile Strikes on Syria's Homs

Facts

• Syria's military reported Israeli airstrikes that targeted the city of Homs on Sunday, which led to Syrian air defenses being engaged and a Syrian missile exploding within Israeli territory — prompting another round of Israeli strikes.¹
• While the air strikes did not lead to any casualties, Syria's state news agency claimed that the attack caused material damage despite Syrian air defenses allegedly intercepting most of the Israeli missiles.²
• The news comes after Israeli police claimed that the remains of a Syrian missile landed in the town of Rahat — 180 km (110 mi) from the armistice line between the two countries. Israel's military also revealed that its warplanes received no damage during the following missile strikes.³
• A spokesman for Israel's military, Avichay Adraee, also revealed that the Syrian air defense battery from which the anti-aircraft missile is believed to have been launched was targeted.⁴
• The Syrian Center for Human Rights further reported that Israel also targeted weapon depots of Hezbollah [the Lebanese political party and the armed group backed by Iran.]⁵
• Israel has carried out hundreds of attacks against what it says are Iran-linked targets in Syria, where Tehran's influence has grown since it began supporting Pres. Bashar al-Assad in the country's ongoing civil war that began in 2011.⁶

Sources: ¹Associated Press, ²Al Jazeera, ³NBC, ⁴Reuters, ⁵Haaretz, and ⁶Firstpost.

Narratives

• Pro-Israel narrative, as provided by Jerusalem Post. The firing of the anti-aircraft missile is not the first instance of wild behavior by Syria. Despite relying on older munitions acquired from Russia, the missiles pose a credible danger beyond their alleged use in self-defense. Examples from this weekend, 2017, 2019, and 2020 highlight the threat that Syria's ad hoc use of such weaponry poses for the entire region.
• Pro-Palestine narrative, as provided by Haaretz. It is time for Israel to receive a wake-up call. Scolding and condemnation of the country by Western authorities eager to maintain positive relations are simply not enough. The authorities in Israel continue to act provocatively, using only force and violence to achieve their goals. The world must wake up to this reality.

Predictions