On Monday, a UK-based war monitor says Israeli airstrikes hit missile warehouses in Syria and called it the “most violent strikes” since 2012. Israel has been pounding what it says are military sites in Syria following the dramatic collapse of President Bashar Assad’s rule, wiping out air defences and most of the arsenal of the former Syrian army. Israeli troops have also seized a border buffer zone, leading to condemnation, with critics accusing Israel of violating the 1974 ceasefire and possibly exploiting the chaos in Syria for a land grab.
The Assad family’s rule, which lasted more than half a century, collapsed just over a week ago following a stunning rebel advance. This has created fears of regional instability as the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza shows no signs of halting and hostilities between Israel and Lebanon-based Hezbollah continue despite a ceasefire.
The new Syrian administration, led by the former insurgents who toppled Assad, has complained to the UN Security Council about the Israeli bombardment and incursions into Syrian territory in the Golan Heights. However, it has also said it does not want a military confrontation with Israel.
US embassy advises Americans to leave Syria DAMASCUS, Syria. The US embassy in Damascus advised Americans to leave Syria, saying the security situation there continues to be volatile and unpredictable with armed conflict and “terrorism throughout the country.” The embassy, which has been closed since 2012, posted a statement on X, warning US citizens who are unable to leave the country to prepare “contingency plans for emergency situations.” It didn’t give further details.
The statement also said that the US government is unable to provide any routine or emergency consular services to US citizens and those who need “emergency assistance to depart should contact the US Embassy in the country they plan to enter.” Sleeper cells of the Islamic State group have claimed responsibility for deadly attacks over the past months in different parts of Syria. Despite their defeat in March 2019, the extremists still pose a threat in the war-torn country.
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