The alleged Israeli strikes in Damascus on Wednesday night reportedly targeted sites specifically under the command of Maher al-Assad, brother of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, according to the Saudi Al-Arabiya media outlet.
"Informed sources" told Al-Arabiya on Thursday that alleged Israeli airstrikes on Wednesday night targeted sites used to transfer Iranian weapons to Hezbollah, including sites affiliated with the Syrian Armed Forces' Fourth Division, which is led by Maher.
Maher, who rarely makes public appearances, was spotted earlier this month in photo taken during exercises by Syria's 4th Armored Division.
Major General Maher Hafez Al-AssadFourth Division Commander in company of a Russian general. Most units of the Syrian army have exercises pic.twitter.com/mFNLTxNadc
— ZOKA (@200_zoka) October 3, 2022
The headquarters of a support office belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was also targeted on Wednesday night, according to the report.
Israel additionally transmitted a threat to Syrian officials that they would intensify airstrikes on Syrian targets due to the Assad regime's cooperation with Iran, according to Al-Arabiya.
Third airstrike within a week
Syrian state media reported on Wednesday night that alleged Israeli airstrikes targeted sites near Damascus, causing material damage, in the third such strike in the past week.
On Monday, rare daytime airstrikes targeted sites near Damascus and al-Dimas as well, according to Syrian reports. A Syrian soldier was killed in the strike, according to Syrian reports.
Just days before that airstrike, alleged Israeli missile strikes targeted sites near the Damascus and al-Dimas airports, destroying a YLC-6M radar station, according to the Russian Defense Ministry.