The Israeli military action occurred shortly after a ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah in Lebanon.
The Israeli Air Force reported Saturday that its aircraft targeted a Hezbollah-affiliated site in Syria.
This strike followed a US and French-mediated ceasefire between Israel and the Lebanese armed group, reached just days prior. Both sides have since alleged ceasefire violations, with Israel conducting further strikes in southern Lebanon on Friday.
“This operation followed the detection of weapons transfers to Hezbollah from Syria to Lebanon, despite the ceasefire agreement,” the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated.
The IDF has repeatedly accused Hezbollah of utilizing civilian border crossings for weapons shipments intended for cross-border attacks against Israeli personnel and civilians. The IDF pledged to “continue to neutralize any threat to the State of Israel” that breaches the fragile truce.
The truce, effective Wednesday morning, aimed for a permanent end to hostilities and the gradual withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon, according to US President Joe Biden. The IDF has since confirmed that its troops will remain in southern Lebanon for the present and advised residents against returning home.
Syria’s state-run SANA news agency reported on Wednesday that an Israeli airstrike near the Lebanese border killed six individuals, including military personnel and a humanitarian aid worker. The Syrian Arab Red Crescent confirmed the deaths of its volunteers in the strike.
According to the Israeli news outlet Ynet, at least ten Syrian soldiers perished in the bombardment.
These strikes occurred amidst a broader escalation in Syria, where various militant groups, including Hayat Tahrir-al-Sham (HTS) jihadists, launched a surprise offensive in the northeast. The Syrian government, with Russian air support, is currently engaged in combat operations to expel HTS from parts of Aleppo.