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3. Air Strikes on Damascus Against Iran-Affiliated Positions

Violent explosions were heard on Monday, January 29, in the vicinity of the Syrian capital Damascus, following a probable Israeli strike, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR). Pro-Tehran fighters were among seven dead, with Iranian media reporting the attack targeted an "Iranian advisory centre".

"Israeli strikes targeted a base belonging to Hezbollah and Iran's Revolutionary Guards, killing seven people" including pro-Iran fighters, said Rami Abdel Rahman, director of the SOHR, raising an earlier toll of six.

It was unclear whether civilians were among the dead in the attack on the Sayyida Zeinab district south of Damascus, he added.

The target area is believed to be the Sayyida Zaynab mausoleum, south of Damascus. At least six deaths, including Iranian-affiliated fighters, were recorded, the SOHR reports.

This suburb is considered to be one of the headquarters of Hezbollah and the al-Quds force, the branch of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in charge of external operations.

According to the SOHR, air defenses around Damascus were activated in response to the attack. Images relayed on social networks show smoke rising from an inhabited area.

Suspected Israeli airstrike reported in Damascus pic.twitter.com/9G60ejl7Jf

— Fazel Hawramy (@FazelHawramy)

Suspected Israeli airstrike reported in Damascus pic.twitter.com/9G60ejl7Jf

— Fazel Hawramy (@FazelHawramy) January 29, 2024

On January 20, 10 Iranian militiamen were confirmed dead following the Israeli targeting of a building in Damascus.

Five Iranians, including three commanders of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, three Syrians belonging to a pro-Iranian group, and two others, one of whom was Iraqi and the other Lebanese, had been killed, according to information reported by the OSDH.

Usually carried out under the cover of darkness, Israeli daytime strikes are particularly rare.

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