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Israeli raids early yesterday hit three military sites outside Damascus, the second such reported attack in 48 hours, prompting Syria’s government to warn that the regional situation was now “more dangerous”.
The raids reportedly targeted weapons bound for Lebanese group Hezbollah and raised new concerns of a conflict spillover.
The Syrian foreign ministry, in a letter to the UN Security Council, said claims it was transferring anything were “unfounded” and accused Israel of co-ordinating with what it called “terrorist groups”.
A diplomatic source in Beirut told AFP the three sites were the Jamraya military facility, a nearby weapons depot and an anti-aircraft unit in Sabura, west of the capital.
“This aggression caused deaths and injuries and serious destruction at the sites and in the surrounding civilian regions,” the foreign ministry letter said.
The Assad cabinet held an emergency meeting, warning afterwards that “the aggression opens the door wide to all possibilities”.
“The international community should know that the complex situation in the region has become more dangerous after this aggression,” it said.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon expressed “grave concern”, his spokesman Martin Nesirky said.
“The secretary general calls on all sides to exercise maximum calm and restraint, and to act with a sense of responsibility to prevent an escalation of what is already a devastating and highly dangerous conflict,” Nesirky said.
Syrian state television Al-Ikhbariyah later quoted unnamed sources as saying its forces were ready to retaliate if new “violations” occur.
“The Syrian missiles are ready to strike specific targets in case of any (further) violations,” it said quoting the unidentified sources.
Egypt condemned the strikes as a “violation” of international law and the Cairo-based Arab League demanded UN Security Council intervention to stop such Israeli attacks.
Iran’s Defence Minister General Ahmad Vahidi condemned the Israeli raids, saying “the assault was carried out with the US green light”.
Britain warned of the “increasing danger to the peace of that entire region from the Syria crisis just getting worse and worse”.
Yesterday’s strike came around 48 hours after a reported Israeli raid on a weapons storage facility at Damascus airport.
Residents of the upscale Damascus neighbourhood of Dumar said yesterday’s strike turned night into day.
“It was like an earthquake, the sky was yellow and red,” said 72-year-old Najwa.
Video footage on YouTube appeared to show missiles lighting up clouds, blazing fires, and an explosion producing a massive orange fireball.
Israel reportedly targeted the Jamraya facility earlier this year, in a January 30 raid that Israeli officials have implicitly acknowledged.
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