Israeli strikes on Syria violate international law: UN experts
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The UN special rapporteur on the promotion of democratic and equitable international order, criticizes "Israel’s" actions in Syria, describing them as “part of a pattern.”
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Israeli occupation armored forces take position outside the occupied village of Majdal Shams near the buffer zone that separates the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights from the rest of Syria, on December 9, 2024. (AFP)
United Nations experts stated on Wednesday that "Israel's" strikes on Syria, after President Bashar al-Assad stepped down, are against international law, criticizing Tel Aviv's actions to “pre-emptively disarm” its enemies as “lawless".
"Israel" has recently deployed troops into a buffer zone on the eastern side of the occupied Golan Heights, a move the UN has described as violating a 1974 armistice.
Israeli occupation forces, in the last two days, have carried out hundreds of strikes on Syrian military assets, claiming to target everything from chemical weapons depots to air defenses under the pretext of preventing these from falling into the hands of militants.
George Katrougalos, the UN special rapporteur on the promotion of democratic and equitable international order, described "Israel's" actions in Syria as “part of a pattern.”
He stated, “It is another case of the lawlessness that Israel demonstrates in the area: attacks without provocation against a sovereign state.”
Syrian army restoration to need decades, billions: Israeli media
The Israeli military has claimed significant success in dismantling the Syrian Arab Army's strategic capabilities during a massive aerial campaign, described as one of the largest operations in the Israeli occupation's history.
According to Israeli media, including Walla and Maariv, the offensive, dubbed Operation Bashan Arrow, targeted Syria's strategic weapons stockpiles over 48 hours. Estimates indicate that 70-80% of the Syrian army's military infrastructure has been destroyed.
The Walla news site reported that rebuilding the Syrian military will require "hundreds of billions of dollars" and could take an entire generation. The report highlighted that the Syrian army, once considered a formidable force, has now been substantially weakened. Rebuilding its capabilities will depend on significant support, potentially from Iran, Russia, or the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
Despite the scale of the destruction, the report cautioned that Syria could still pose a security threat in the coming years.
Meanwhile, Maariv detailed that approximately 400 strategic targets were struck during the two-day assault, which aimed to systematically dismantle Syria's air force and military infrastructure. Israeli Air Force sources suggested that these attacks may continue in the coming days.
IOF reveal extent of destruction
The Israeli occupation announced that it had attacked the majority of strategic weapons stockpiles in Syria, as part of what it called Operation Arrow of Bashan.
In detail, the IOF said that two sites belonging to the Syrian Navy were attacked in the port of al-Bayda and the port of Latakia, where 15 naval vessels belonging to the Syrian Navy were docked, on Monday.
Among the targets that were targeted were dozens of sea-to-sea missiles with a range of between 80 and 190 km, each of which carries dozens of kilograms of explosives that threaten Israeli naval vessels, and 350 air strikes were launched targeting various types of surface-to-air missile batteries, Syrian Air Force airports, and dozens of different production site targets in the areas of Damascus, Homs, Tartus, Latakia, and Palmyra.
The IOF added that these waves of raids destroyed weapons and equipment, including Scud missiles, cruise missiles, surface-to-sea missiles, surface-to-air missiles, surface-to-surface missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles, fighter jets and attack helicopters, radars, tanks, aircraft hangars, and others.
It was also announced that the Northern Command in "Israel" targeted more than 130 targets on Syrian territory, including weapons depots, military buildings, missile launch pads, and firing positions.
Israeli tanks advance to Damascus countryside as strikes continue
Israeli media outlets reported that, in less than two days, nearly 300 raids targeted Syria, adding that the Israeli Air Force draws closer to destroying the entirety of the Syrian Air Force.
Overnight on Tuesday, the Israeli occupation continued to launch attacks against Syria, mainly targeting Syria's military capabilities.
The city of Salamiyah, in the eastern countryside of Hama, came under Israeli strikes, as reported by Al Mayadeen's correspondent.
Warplanes also targeted the Shayrat airbase in the Homs countryside. Additionally, Israeli strikes targeted military installations in the northern region of the Raqqa governorate. Our correspondent said that so far, 250 Israeli raids have targeted military installations in the country.
Unprovoked, the Israeli occupation continues destroying Syria's military capabilities and has also launched a blatant ground assault on Syrian territories.
The Israeli occupation took over the entirety of the Golan, including the Syrian side of the Mount Hermon summit. It also led an eastward advance, taking over the buffer zone in the same area.
