Israeli attacks across Syria widely condemned in Mideast

4/4/2025 5:53

The intensive Israeli air and ground attacks across Syria on Wednesday evening have been widely condemned in the Middle East as violating international law and Syria's national sovereignty.

In what marks one of the most extensive escalations in recent months, the Israeli military launched a wave of some 25 airstrikes targeting military sites across Syria late Wednesday, which reportedly killed at least four members of Syria's defense authorities and wounded 12 others.

Syria's official sources said the airstrikes injured both civilians and military personnel and led to the near-total destruction of the Hama Military Airport in the central Hama province.

Meanwhile, Syria's state-run SANA news agency reported that one of the Israeli airstrikes hit the Jubailiyah Forest area between the city of Nawa and the town of Tasil in the southern Daraa Province, killing nine civilians and wounding several others.

The wave of bombardment across Syria also targeted the T4 Airbase and its surroundings in the central Homs province and the Scientific Research Center in the Barzeh district of the capital Damascus.

On the ground, Israeli forces shelled the Harsh Sadd Tasil area, known locally as the "National Park," and the vicinity of Tal Al-Jumou between Nawa and Tasil. They also reportedly pushed into the Jubailiyah Forest area and took up positions.

In a statement on Thursday, the Foreign Ministry of Jordan, one of Syria's neighboring countries, denounced the Israeli attacks as "a blatant violation of international law, an infringement on Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and a dangerous escalation" that threatens to fuel further conflicts in the region.

The ministry's spokesperson, Sufian Qudah, reaffirmed Jordan's unequivocal rejection of Israel's repeated assaults on Syrian territory, urging the international community to compel Israel to halt its "provocative and unlawful aggression" against Syria and end its occupation of Syrian land.

Egypt also condemned the Israeli attacks on Thursday in the strongest terms, labeling them as "a blatant violation of international law" and an affront to Syria's sovereignty, unity, and independence.

In a statement, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry criticized Israel for exploiting Syria's internal challenges and urged key international actors to take decisive action.

"Egypt calls on the active international parties to take their responsibilities regarding the repeated Israeli violations and to obligate Israel to end its occupation of the Syrian land," it said.

Meanwhile, Iraq, another neighbor of Syria, said Israeli attacks as such demonstrate its "aggressive expansionist approach" and represent a "flagrant violation of international law and the national sovereignty of states."

The Iraqi Foreign Ministry affirmed in a statement the country's full solidarity with the Syrian people and called on the international community to shoulder its responsibility to halt these violations, protect civilians, and safeguard people's right to live in security and peace.

Also on Thursday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said the attacks highlighted Israel's repeated violations of Syrian territory by targeting vital defense assets and civilian infrastructures, as well as by occupying strategic areas in Syria.

Baghaei added that Iran has always stressed the importance of preserving Syria's territorial integrity and national sovereignty, urging the international community, particularly regional countries and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, to take immediate and effective measures to halt Israeli violations.

In a statement released Thursday, Hezbollah condemned the "barbaric aggression" carried out by Israel and the United States targeting regional countries, including Syria, which it said attempts to destabilize the region, violate sovereignty, and impose foreign hegemony.

The repeated airstrikes and incursions into Syria aim to weaken the country, it said, reaffirming its solidarity with Syria and urging immediate global action.

Saudi Arabia on Thursday reiterated its firm rejection of the Israeli actions, which threaten the security and stability of Syria and the wider region through clear violations of international law.

The Kingdom emphasized the need for the international community, particularly the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, to fulfill their responsibilities by taking a firm stand against these ongoing Israeli violations.

Secretary General of Gulf Cooperation Council Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi said Thursday that these violent strikes "represent a continuation of efforts by the Israeli occupation forces to undermine regional and international security."

He emphasized the importance of respecting Syria's sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity while calling for concrete steps to halt such actions for regional peace and security.