Israel Targets Islamic Jihad Facility in Syria’s Damascus
By Kardo Roj
DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – The Israeli military launched an airstrike early Thursday targeting a site linked to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) movement in the Syrian capital, Damascus, according to security sources.
A Syrian security source told North Press that the strike hit a residential building in the Barghouth Street area of Island 16 in Mashrou’ Dummar, which was allegedly being used as a facility by the PIJ.
The Israeli Channel 12 reported that the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) had struck “targets associated with Palestinian Islamic Jihad” inside Syria. No immediate details were available on casualties or the extent of the damage.
The airstrike comes amid heightened tensions between Israel and Palestinian factions, with Israeli officials blaming PIJ for recent rocket attacks from Gaza and Lebanon. In previous instances, Israel has justified its strikes in Syria by citing threats posed by Iranian-backed groups operating within Syrian territory.
Syrian state media has not yet issued an official response to the attack. However, in past incidents, Syrian air defenses have claimed to intercept incoming Israeli missiles, though such claims have been met with skepticism from military analysts.
Israel has conducted hundreds of airstrikes in Syria over the past decade, primarily targeting Iranian-linked groups and their allies. Damascus has repeatedly condemned the strikes as violations of Syrian sovereignty, while Israel maintains that its operations are aimed at preventing Iranian entrenchment near its borders.
This latest strike could further strain tensions in Syria, where various regional actors—including Iran, Hezbollah, and Turkish-backed groups—are engaged in competing agendas. Meanwhile, the Syrian government has been navigating diplomatic engagements with regional and international players, including efforts to reestablish ties with Arab states.
As of now, there has been no statement from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) or the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) regarding the implications of such attacks on overall stability in the country.
While Israel has remained silent on the specifics of the operation, past precedent suggests that further retaliatory actions could follow, particularly if casualties among PIJ leadership are confirmed. The situation remains fluid, with regional observers monitoring possible escalations between Israeli forces and Palestinian factions operating within Syria.