Israeli strike hits Damascus ‘residential’ buildings killing 15

A Syrian, displaced as a result of the deadly earthquake hit Turkey and Syria, walks past tents at temporary camp in the village of al-Hamam in the countryside of Jandairis in northwest Syria on February 11, 2023. (Photo by Rami al SAYED / AFP)

BEIRUT, Lebanon / DAMASCUS, Syria — An Israeli strike killed 15 people and destroyed a residential building in the Syrian capital of Damascus, a war monitor said Sunday.

The Britain-based Observatory, which has a wide network of sources inside Syria, said the strike, which hit close to an Iranian cultural center, had killed 15 people including civilians.

Syria’s health ministry reported a preliminary toll of three civilians killed and 15 injured.

Syria’s state news agency SANA reported that the Israeli army carried out a missile strike Sunday that hit “residential” buildings in Damascus, quoting a security source. The security source reported people “killed and injured,” without saying how many.

AFP correspondents in Damascus heard loud explosions at 00:30 a.m. (2130 GMT), followed by ambulance sirens.

The strike hit in Kafr Sousa, a high-security area of the Syrian capital, part of which is home to senior security officials, security branches, and intelligence headquarters

Israel’s missile strike came two weeks after Syria was rattled by a deadly 7.8-magnitude earthquake.

The major temblor, which also struck Turkey on February 6, has claimed the lives of more than 46,000 thus far and the toll is still expected to soar.

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