Comment by the Information and Press Department on Israeli attacks on Syria

The intensity of Israel’s missile and bomb attacks on Syria increased sharply lately.

On November 12, the Israeli Air Force carried out a missile attack on the house owned by Commander of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group Akram al-Ajouri in the centre of Damascus, which is home to foreign diplomatic missions. The attack killed and wounded Syrian civilians and caused significant damage to property and buildings. Al-Ajouri walked away unscathed, but his relatives died in the attack.

Targets in the Abu Kamal district near the Syrian-Iraqi border were attacked on November 18, with the Israeli aircraft reportedly violating the airspace of Iraq and Jordan. There were explosions near the Damascus Airport on November 19. Missiles were fired at targets 18 kilometres south of the Syrian capital, allegedly in response to Syria shelling the Golan Heights.

Israeli Air Force aircraft fired 40 cruise missiles on the Damascus suburbs on the night of November 20. At least 10 Syrian troops and civilians were killed or wounded.

These events are causing serious concern and resentment in Moscow. We believe it is absolutely imperative to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria and other states in the region. So far, Israeli actions have ratcheted up tension and conflict potential of the situation around Syria, and are running counter to the efforts to normalise the situation and achieve stability and a political settlement in Syria.