IDF reportedly shells Hezbollah position in southern Syria

Israeli army also dropped flyers warning Syrian Army against cooperating with Hezbollah

The Israel Defense Forces reportedly shelled a site in the Quneitra province of southern Syria near the Golan Heights early Monday morning. The site is believed to be associated with the Hezbollah terror organization.

A local Syrian journalist, Nour Abo Hassan, posted pictures of a flyer he said was dropped by an Israeli drone, warning Syrian soldiers not to cooperate with Hezbollah.

The flyer showed a photo of Samer al-Dana, commander of the Syrian Army’s 41st Brigade of the Fourth Division, meeting with an individual named Tariq Maher, who is identified as the head of Hezbollah’s intelligence in Syria. The flyer also displayed a map of the towns of Hader and Quneitra.

طائرات مسيرة إسرائيلية تلقي منشورات ورقية بالقرب من موقع المستهدف قرص النفل
ونشر أسماء ضباط سوريين موالين للحزب الله
اللواء سامر الدانا رئيس استخبارات السورية
وطارق ماهر قائد مقر إستخبارات حزب الله في #سوريا pic.twitter.com/sDpolOSrCo
— Nour Abo Hasan (@nourabohsn) April 24, 2023

Hassan also shared a video of the artillery attack to social media.

The strike is the latest in a series of Israeli strikes on Syrian territory this year. While the IDF regularly strikes Iran-affiliated positions in Syria, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced on Thursday that Israel has doubled the number of attacks in Syria in the first quarter of 2023.

“In the first quarter of 2023, we doubled the number of attacks in Syria,” Gallant said.

“We are systematically harming Iranian abilities and assets in the area,” the defense minister added. “We will not allow Iran to set up a Syrian army that will turn the Golan Heights into Lebanon.”

The IDF does not usually comment on strikes in Syria, operating under a policy of ambiguity that is designed to reduce conflict with the Syrian government. However, with Iranian activity increasing in Syria, Israel appears to be increasing its operational activities in the country as well.

While the official Syrian news agency did not confirm this morning's attack, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights did confirm, while stating that no casualties had been reported.

The attack was also reported by Sham FM, a Syrian regime-affiliated radio station.