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Flames and smoke rise from the site of an explosion in Al Bukamal, Deir al-Zor, Syria in this screengrab obtained from a social media video released on March 3, 2025. Social Media/via REUTERS
Israel Defense Forces on Monday evening confirmed that Israeli Air Force (IAF) fighter jets attacked the Qardahah area in Syria, a military site where the former Assad regime had stored weapons.
“A short while ago, the IDF struck a military site where weapons belonging to the previous Syrian regime were stored in the area of Al Qardahah in Syria,” the IDF stated. “Due to recent developments in the area, it was decided to strike military infrastructure at the site.”
The military also said it would continue “to monitor developments in the area and will act as necessary in order to defend the citizens of the State of Israel.”
The Syrian News Agency (SANA) reported that there were no casualties in the IDF attack in the area of the city of Tartus.
Footage circulating on social media claims an Israeli airstrike in Tartous, Syria, a short time ago.
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If it was Israel, it’s difficult to tell the nature of the target. It may have been an attempt to thwart a Hezbollah weapons transfer or a strike against Syrian gov assets. pic.twitter.com/xu1f8m2vIF
— Joe Truzman (@JoeTruzman) March 3, 2025
Earlier in the day, Syrian media reported an attack on several positions in the area of the city of Tartus in the west of the country. According to Arab reports, the attack took place near the city’s port.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), also reported violent explosions in Tartus and at the “Al-Waheeb” iron factories near a former military barracks of the collapsed regime.
SOHR also noted that citizens in the area reported receiving text messages on their mobile phones with the message, “Stay away from the areas where the terrorists are present.”
According to Walid Phares, a foreign policy advisor, the site contained anti-aircraft missiles which had been seized by the new regime and were set to be “re-equipped by Turkish military.”
Explaining the Israeli airstrike on #Tartus today.
Antiaircraft missile site built and used by the #AssadRegime, seized by Jihadi #HTS forces and readied by the new regime to be re-equipped by Turkish military.
There are no more “Assad held sites” in Syria. There are only… https://t.co/V5AXxTrVbf
— Dr Walid Phares (@WalidPhares) March 4, 2025
About two hours after the strike in the Tartus area, Al Jazeera reported another Israeli attack in the area of Janta, near the Syria-Lebanon border. The IDF has conducted routine strikes in this region to prevent the weapons smuggling to Hezbollah forces.
About a week ago, the IDF confirmed that IAF jets attacked al-Kiswa in the area of Damascus. Al-Arabi TV reported echoes of explosions in the capital city, following reports of Israeli aircraft in the areas of Dara’a and Quneitra in southern Syria.
Monday evening’s strikes came after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz warned the new Syrian regime against moving forces south of Damascus, demanding a “ full demilitarization of southern Syria.”
“We demand full demilitarization of southern Syria from the forces of the new regime. Also, we will not tolerate any threat to the Druze community in southern Syria,” Netanyahu said. “We will not allow the forces of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham or the new Syrian army to enter the area south of Damascus.”
Over the weekend, following an operation by the Syrian regime in the area of Jaramana, Netanyahu ordered the IDF to protect Syrian Druze villages against the regime’s attempts to carry out military operations there.
“We will not allow the terrorist regime of radical Islam in Syria to harm the Druze,” Netanyahu and Katz said in a joint statement.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan responded to the joint statement with a warning that did not explicitly mention Israel.
“Those who seek to benefit from Syria’s instability must know they will not achieve their goals. We will not allow Syria to be divided as they envision,” Erdoğan stated.
Overnight on Monday, there were also unconfirmed reports on social media of explosions and the incursion of IDF units into the area near Dara’a, southern Syria, an area supportive of the new regime. SOHR also reported apparent Israeli activity in the area, claiming that the Israeli forces withdrew after a couple of hours.
The IDF did not issue any statement regarding military activity in the Dara’a province.
On Monday, Israel Hayom reported that Israel asked the United States to convey messages to Turkey to refrain from establishing military bases in Syria and to prevent the anti-Israeli organizations from forming in the country. The Israeli message came in light of a growing Turkish presence in Syria.
Israel Hayom cited a Kurdish media outlet report, stating that Turkish intelligence was working to establish a new jihadist organization in the areas of Dara’a and Jerash, specifically to fight against Israel.
Since the start of 2025, SOHR has recorded 19 Israeli strikes on Syrian territory – 17 from the air and two on the ground – targeting and destroying approximately 21 sites, including weapons and ammunition depots, headquarters, centers, and vehicles.
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