An Israeli airstrike on Syria | First Thing

Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reports that an Israeli airstrike in an area near Hezbollah weapons depots in Syria’s Aleppo province has killed at least 36 Syrian soldiers. Plus: ecocide in Gaza

Good morning.

At least 36 Syrian soldiers were killed in an Israeli airstrike on an area near Hezbollah weapons depots in Syria’s Aleppo province, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has said.

Why is Israel attacking Syria? Since civil war began in Syria in 2011, Israel has launched hundreds of airstrikes on targets there as it seeks to cut off Hamas ally Hezbollah’s supply routes to Lebanon. The frequency of these strikes has increased since Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza began following the 7 October attacks. While Iran-backed Hezbollah is Lebanese, it has sent militants into Syria to support its ally, President Bashar al-Assad.

What has Israel done to combat Hezbollah in Lebanon? Israel has exchanged near-daily, cross-border fire with Hezbollah in Lebanon since the Gaza war began, sparking fears of a major regional conflagration. An Agence France-Presse tally estimates that at least 346 people have been killed in Lebanon – mostly Hezbollah fighters, but also including at least 68 civilians – in clashes with Israel over the past six months.