Hezbollah commander, four other jihadists killed in Syria airstrike – report

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based monitor, had reported three explosions and the presence of unidentified aircraft that day in the eastern city of Dier-ez-Zor.

JERUSALEM POST STAFF MARCH 20, 2024 01:05

Updated: MARCH 20, 2024 07:19

 People can be seen on the Syrian side of the Quneitra crossing in the Golan Heights on the border line between Israel and Syria, as it is seen from its Israeli side October 15, 2018. (photo credit: AMIR COHEN/REUTERS)

Five commanders of Iranian-backed militias in Syria were killed in an airstrike on Tuesday, according to Saudi television station al-Hadath, cited by Israeli media that night.

A further report claimed that one of those killed was a Hezbollah commander.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based monitor, had reported three explosions and the presence of unidentified aircraft that day in the eastern city of Dier-ez-Zor.

Syria hosts several militias financed by Iran, which have attacked not only Israeli forces but American troops as well since war broke out between Israel and Hamas in October.

Those include Hezbollah, which controls much of Southern Lebanon and has been firing rockets and missiles into the north of Israel since October 7, leading to regular exchanges of fire and the evacuation of about 100,000 people away from their homes near the Israel-Lebanon border.

 A Hezbollah fighter stands in front of anti-tank artillery at Juroud Arsal, the Syria-Lebanon border, July 29, 2017. (credit: ALI HASHISHO/REUTERS)

Iran scaled back IRGC presence in Syria due to strikes

A few weeks ago, it was reported that a suspected Israeli strike had killed Colonel Reza Zarei, an Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) officer, as well as two Hezbollah fighters. A Damascus-area strike in January was reported to have killed three IRGC officers.

In February, it was reported that Iran had scaled back its deployment of IRGC officers in Syria in light of Israeli strikes.

This is a developing story.

Content retrieved from: https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-792801.