Israeli warplanes pound Syria as troops reportedly advance deeper into the country

Israel conducts heavy airstrikes in Syria, advancing towards Damascus, amid accusations of violating international law and exploiting Syrian chaos.

Israel carried out a wave of heavy airstrikes across Syria as its troops advanced deeper into the country, drawing to within 25km of the capital, a Syrian opposition war monitor said Tuesday (December 10, 2024).

Associated Press reporters in Damascus heard heavy airstrikes overnight and into Tuesday (December 10, 2024) on the city and its suburbs. Photographs circulating online showed destroyed missile launchers, helicopters and warplanes.

Syria civil war: LIVE updates on December 10, 2024

There was no immediate comment from the insurgent groups — led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS – that have taken control of Damascus.

Israel had earlier seized a roughly 400-square-kilometer buffer zone inside Syria that had been established after the 1973 Mideast war, a move it said was taken to prevent attacks in the aftermath of the overthrow of President Bashar Assad.

Israel has also said it is striking suspected chemical weapons sites and heavy weapons to prevent them from falling into the hands of extremists. Israeli officials rarely acknowledge individual strikes.

Israel has a long history of seizing territory during wars with its neighbours and occupying it indefinitely, citing security concerns. Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Mideast war and annexed it in a move not recognized internationally, except by the United States.