Israeli strikes kill six Syrian soldiers, Syria’s government says

Israeli drone strikes near Damascus have killed six Syrian soldiers, Syria’s government said, among a series of reported attacks this week.

Syria’s foreign ministry condemned Tuesday’s strike as a violation of international law and a breach of its sovereignty.

After more strikes on Wednesday, Israeli forces carried out an airborne landing at a former military site in the area, international and Syrian state media report. Reports differ on what forces did and how long they stayed for.

Israel’s military told the BBC it did not comment on foreign reports. Defence Minister Israel Katz posted on X on Thursday that “forces are operating in all combat zones day and night for the security of Israel”.

Israel carried out dozens of attacks across Syria after the fall of ex-President Bashar al-Assad in December, which saw an Islamist-led government set up by former rebels. Israel at the time said it was acting to stop weapons falling “into the hands of extremists”.

This year, Israel has conducted 95 attacks – 85 air strikes and 10 land operations – according to British-based monitor Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).

Tuesday’s attack happened while Syrian troops were attempting to deal with “surveillance and eavesdropping devices” discovered during a field tour near al-Kiswah, Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reports.

Further air strikes followed on Wednesday, taking place around 10km (six miles) from where Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa was attending the Damascus International Fair, SOHR reported.

Few details were available on the landing by Israeli forces at the former military site, which was reported on Wednesday night.

SANA reported that Israeli aircraft launched several raids, followed by an airdrop, “the details of which are yet to be determined”.

A Syrian military source told Al Jazeera the operation included dozens of soldiers with search equipment who stayed at the site for more than two hours.

Two Syrian army sources told Reuters that troops conducted the landing, but withdrew after, with no more details.

The reported series of attacks this week comes as the two countries engage in deconfliction talks.

In July, Israel bombed Syrian government forces around Suweida in the country’s south as the army entered the predominantly Druze city following deadly sectarian clashes.

Israel’s prime minister said he had ordered strikes on forces and weapons because the government “intended to use [them] against the Druze”. Syria condemned the July attacks, which it said had resulted in deaths of members of the armed forces and civilians.

There is also a population of Druze, whose religion is an offshoot of Shia Islam with its own unique identity and beliefs, in Israel.