Update(1410ET): On Tuesday there has been another Israeli attack on Damascus, Syria in what has now become an almost daily event
Syria's air defenses reportedly engaged hostile inbound aerial targets over the capital in the evening hours (local), state-run news agency SANA.
"Israeli
aggression targeted a residential building in the Mazzeh neighborhood
in Damascus," a SANA corresponded said, describing initial reports of
casualties at the scene.
BREAKING 🚨
— Kevork Almassian🇸🇾🇦🇲 (@KevorkAlmassian) October 8, 2024
Israel bombed a residential area in the capital of Syria, Damascus.
Does Syria have the right to defend itself or is this right exclusive for Israel? pic.twitter.com/9OXgKxjFh9
Just a few days ago Israel launched a rare attack on Syria's coast, near Tartus, in a location close to a major Russian airbase. Israel frequently claims it is targeting Iranian assets, and Syria rarely if ever directly responds with retaliation strikes against Israeli positions.
* * *
Israel's northern port city of Haifa has for the second consecutive day been targeted by a record number of Hezbollah missiles.
The last few hours have witnessed waves of rocket barrages - with the last being twenty sent - bringing the total number of projectiles fired to over 100 on the northern metropolis in only half a day period.
 |
| Site of impact in Haifa on Oct.6, via i24 News. |
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that while many were intercepted, other rocket impacts were confirmed, with damage caused to several homes, and a 70-year old woman wounded by shrapnel.
A barrage of an initial 85 missiles were launched, followed by the remainder 20. Sunday into Monday also saw dozens fired, with a restaurant, infrastructure, and homes getting hit.
Of Tuesday's new attacks regional media is detailing that missiles targeted the area of "Haifa Bay, Israel’s main northern metropolis, was the largest the city had been exposed to since hostilities between the Lebanese group and Israel began."
"Israel’s Channel 12 news outlet said at least five rockets fell on the city, and the mayor of Haifa reported that a building in the Haifa Bay area was hit," Al Jazeera has noted.
The IDF has since then said an air force drone struck rocket launchers used by Hezbollah to mount some of the Haifa attacks. South Lebanon has continued to be an area of intense fighting, and Beirut has still been getting pounded with airstrikes.
#BREAKING | Hezbollah: "We have bombed the city of #Haifa with a large barrage of rockets in support of our steadfast #Palestinian people in the #Gaza Strip and in support of their brave resistance, and in defense of #Lebanon and its people."#Israel #Hezbollah #Palestine pic.twitter.com/xC1qafvcpw
— Ammar Khan (@AmmarKh12669255) October 8, 2024
Meanwhile, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has issued an update on strikes last week believed to have taken out Hashem Safieddine, who was the believed successor to slain Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah. Gallant says Israel assesses that Safieddine has been killed.
"Hezbollah is an organization without a leader, Nasrallah was eliminated, his replacement was probably also eliminated. This has a dramatic effect on everything that happens. There is no one to make decisions, no one to act," Gallant told the IDF Northern Command during a visit.
Israel's air defenses active over the country's largest northern metropolis:
The excessive breathing is real.
— Arya - آریا (@AryJeay) October 8, 2024
Haifa right now. https://t.co/F81hlz596r pic.twitter.com/urvTN3VSTu
"The actions we are taking are being observed all over the Middle East. When the smoke in Lebanon clears, they will realize in Iran that they have lost their most valuable asset, which is Hezbollah," the defense chief added, also describing that Hezbollah's capabilities and arsenal has taken a heavy blow.
Also on Tuesday, dpa has reported based on a new television interview that "Hezbollah's deputy leader has expressed openness to a deal with Israel." However, Israel has said it plans to persist in its Lebanon operations for at least weeks to come.
