ISRAEL’S irresponsible behaviour in the region has been a threat to Middle East peace for decades. In particular, its foolhardy forays targeting Syria, especially since the 2011 war began, risk igniting a greater regional conflagration. The latest Israeli blitz came early on Sunday, when a number of air strikes rocked Damascus, including some residential areas of the Syrian capital. The primary targets appear to be fighters aligned with Iran, which has stepped up its military presence in Syria since the start of the civil war, as well as the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah. While Tel Aviv has remained tightlipped, as usual, the Syrian state says the “Israeli enemy” launched the assault from the occupied Golan Heights. Russia, a key supporter of the regime in Damascus, has issued a rebuke, warning Israel to “put an end to armed provocations”. At least 15 fatalities have been reported, including civilians.

This is not the first time Israel has struck civilian sites in Syria; in the past it has attacked airports numerous times. Moreover, the fact that the strikes come at a time when northern Syria is reeling from a devastating earthquake makes the Israeli actions particularly grotesque. Deliberately targeting civilian areas is a war crime, and it is interesting to note that the self-declared champions of the global ‘rules-based order’ remain silent on Israeli transgressions in Syria. The violation of a sovereign state’s territory is unacceptable, and Tel Aviv’s foreign supporters need to rein in their Middle Eastern protégé. Moreover, in a global scenario where the Ukraine war threatens to transform into a more widespread confrontation between the pro-West camp and the ‘rest’ led by Russia and China, the Israeli actions are akin to pouring fuel on fire. If the pro-Iran Hezbollah or Hamas decided to lob a missile or two towards Israel in retaliation for the Syrian attacks, Tel Aviv will have no one but itself to blame for the escalation.

Published in Dawn, February 21st, 2023