Israel Strikes in Syria Amid Regional Tensions Over Golan Heights

Israel has reportedly carried out multiple airstrikes targeting missile and weapon depots in the Syrian port city of Tartus, located near the Lebanon-Syria border. According to reports from Hezbollah-affiliated Lebanese news outlet Al Mayadeen, large plumes of smoke were seen following the explosions, and residents claimed to have felt tremors equivalent to a 3-magnitude earthquake on the Richter scale. The strikes also reportedly hit other Syrian cities, including Latakia, Hama, and Deir el-Zor. Al Mayadeen further claimed that these strikes were carried out by Israeli naval vessels.

The airstrikes come amid escalating tensions in the region, particularly surrounding Israel’s recent approval of a controversial plan to expand settlements in the Golan Heights. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s NIS 40 million plan aims to encourage demographic growth in the area, which Israel captured from Syria in the 1967 Six-Day War. Netanyahu has expressed a desire to double the population in the Golan, especially after the devastating effects of the war in Israel's north.

The expansion plan has been met with strong condemnation from several Arab nations, including Qatar, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq. The UAE strongly criticized the decision, calling it a violation of international law and a threat to regional stability. Qatar echoed this condemnation, urging the international community to take action against Israel's "aggressions on Syrian territories." Saudi Arabia also expressed concern, emphasizing that Israel's actions are hindering Syria’s efforts to regain stability and security.

These developments add to the growing tensions between Israel and neighboring countries, as well as within the broader international community, with the situation in the Golan Heights remaining a critical point of contention in Middle Eastern geopolitics.