Roundup: Israel ramps up attacks on Syrian capital Damascus during senior Iranian official’s visit

DAMASCUS, Nov. 14 (Xinhua) — Israel intensified its attacks on Syria on Thursday, hitting two residential neighborhoods in Damascus and areas on the Syrian-Lebanese border in the central province of Homs.
At least 15 people were killed and 16 others wounded when Israeli forces hit three residential buildings in the al-Mazzeh neighborhood west of Damascus on Thursday afternoon, according to the Syrian Defense Ministry and state television.
Another Israeli airstrike on Thursday hit a building that was part of an educational complex in a residential zone in the Qudsaya suburb northwest of Damascus, causing damage.
In the evening, Eyad Mohammed, commander of the Homs Fire Brigade, told Al-Watan Online that an Israeli strike targeted the al-Mouh Bridge in the city of al-Qusayr in the southern countryside of Homs, destroying the bridge and suspending its service.
The strike on al-Qusayr, a known stronghold of the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah, occurred a day after Israeli attacks on bridges and roads in the area injured 11 people.
The Syrian Foreign Ministry on Thursday condemned the recent Israeli attacks, stating they resulted in dozens of civilian deaths and injuries, including women and children, and led to the destruction of residential buildings. The ministry also reported significant damage to critical infrastructure, including bridges and international roads, resulting in their closure.
“Continued Israeli aggression today comes just two days after widespread condemnation by the joint Arab-Islamic summit in Riyadh of its blatant and escalating aggression on Syrian territories,” the ministry said.
The Israeli airstrikes on Thursday coincided with a visit to Damascus by Ali Larijani, senior advisor to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and member of Iran’s Expediency Discernment Council, who met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
During their meeting, Assad and Larijani discussed “the developments in the region, particularly the Israeli escalation and continuous aggression on Palestine and Lebanon and the necessity to stop it,” according to Syria’s state-run SANA news agency.
According to the report, Assad emphasized the importance of upholding the historical rights of Palestinians and expressed support for Palestinians and Lebanese “by all means to stop the massacres and put an end to the crimes of genocide.”
Larijani reaffirmed Iran’s support for Syria and its readiness to provide various forms of assistance, highlighting Syria’s pivotal role in the region.
Israel has carried out numerous airstrikes in Syria over the years, primarily targeting Iranian-backed militia positions and alleged weapon shipments bound for Hezbollah in Lebanon. The Syrian government has repeatedly condemned these strikes as violations of its sovereignty.
The latest Israeli attacks come amid heightened tensions in the region, as conflicts in neighboring countries spill over into Syrian territory. The Syrian government has repeatedly urged the international community to take a firm stance against Israel’s actions, warning of the potential for broader regional destabilization. ■