Israel's strike in Syria's Damascus: How is bombing linked to Iran, Hamas

Israel strikes in Damascus: An Israeli missile strike targeted a four-storey building, killing five people, it was reported.

An Israeli strike on Damascus killed five people in a building where "Iran-aligned leaders" were meeting amid tensions in the Middle East over the Israel-Hamas war.

Israel strikes in Damascus: People gather near the damaged site, that was hit by an Israeli military strike according to sources, in Damascus.(Reuters)

The strike killed the Iranian Revolutionary Guards' intelligence chief for Syria and his deputy as well as two other Guards members, Iranian media reported.

"The Revolutionary Guards' Syria intel chief, his deputy and two other Guards members were martyred in the attack on Syria by Israel," Iran's Mehr news agency said while the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said, as per news agency AFP, “An Israeli missile strike targeted a four-storey building, killing five people... and destroying the whole building where Iran-aligned leaders were meeting.”

What we know so far on Israel's strike in Syria?

The monitor said, using a network of sources inside Syria, that the targeted area is known to be a high-security zone as it is home to leaders of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and pro-Iran Palestinian factions. Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman said, "They were for sure targeting senior members" of those groups.

What has been reported on the strikes?

The strikes which occurred in mid-morning, the official SANA news agency reported adding, “An attack targeted a residential building in the Mazzeh neighbourhood in Damascus, resulting from an Israeli aggression.”

The Mazzeh area is home to the United Nations' headquarters, embassies and restaurants, it added.

“Israeli missiles” destroyed the whole building and that 10 were either killed or wounded in the attack, Associated Press reported.

Israel-Syria relations over the years

During more than a decade of civil war in Syria, Israel launched hundreds of air strikes on its territory, mostly targeting Iran-backed forces. These attacks have intensified since the war between Israel and Hamas began on October 7 last year. Recent months have also seen regular cross-border exchanges of fire between Israel and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. However, Israel has not commented on these strikes. Earlier this month, a strike said to be carried out by Israel killed top Hamas commander Saleh Arouri in Beirut.