Military Activity Increasing In Israel's Northern Front

Israel's Northern Front heats up as Syria airstrikes, IAF drill overlap

URI COHEN/THE MEDIA LINE

Israeli jets conducted another series of airstrikes against Syrian targets south of Damascus, Syria's state media reported early Monday morning, the second such strikes in one week.

The operation was carried out just as a surprise military drill covering Israel’s entire northern region was announced.

According to the Syrian reports, air defense batteries intercepted Israel's "hostile" attacks, lobbed from the skies over the Golan Heights, shooting down the missiles aimed at the capital.

While no casualties were reported by government officials, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition group based in Britain, claimed that at least nine soldiers belonging to Iranian militias aligned with President Bashar Assad's regime were killed.

Israeli officials did not comment on Monday's airstrikes.

The area attacked, located nine miles south of Damascus in the town of Kiswa, houses several militant Iranian groups, according to local residents.

Coinciding with the latest reported strike, Israel's air force on Monday launched a three-day surprise drill near the Syrian and Lebanese borders, simulating "combat scenarios on the northern front."

The military's spokesperson warned of increased air traffic throughout the country, and loud explosions in the northern region.

"We will exercise aerial superiority and protecting the nation's skies, as well as offensive missions and intelligence gathering," the Israel Defense Forces said in a statement on Monday.

Last week, a convoy of vehicles loaded with weapons was bombed near Deir ez-Zor on the Syrian-Iraqi border. The armaments caravan was reportedly on its way from Iran to western Syria, and was destroyed in an airstrike attributed to Israel.