Intense Israeli airstrikes in southern Syria following missile launches towards the occupied Golan Heights.

The Israeli Air Force launched intense airstrikes on Syrian military sites in the south of the country on Wednesday, June 4, 2025, in response to the firing of two rockets from Syrian territories towards the occupied Golan Heights. The airstrikes targeted strategic sites in the countryside of Daraa, Quneitra, and western rural Damascus, causing significant human and material losses and leading to a large displacement in the Yarmouk Basin area in western Daraa. Explosions were heard in distant areas like Al-Kiswah and Qatana, with an unprecedented escalation in the number and intensity of strikes. Defense Minister Israel Katz held Syrian President Ahmed Al-Shara responsible and threatened a comprehensive response. The Israeli army emphasized in its statement: "Moments ago, following the rocket fire towards Israeli territory, Israeli Defense Forces fighter jets bombed Syrian regime weapons sites in southern Syria. The Syrian regime bears responsibility for the current situation in Syria and will continue to bear its consequences as long as hostile activities persist from its territories. The Israeli Defense Forces will act against any threat to the state of Israel." Meanwhile, the Syrian Foreign Ministry denied launching missiles towards Israel, attributing the attacks to destabilizing parties. It condemned the shelling as a violation of sovereignty, asserting that Damascus does not pose a threat to its neighbors and calling on the international community to stop the attacks and support the stability of southern Syria. In contrast, US envoy to Syria Tom Barrack stated that Washington intends to remove Syria from the list of state sponsors of terrorism, emphasizing support for the new government and dialogue with Israel as a "solvable issue." The situation in southern Syria remains tense, with ongoing airstrikes on various sites between Daraa, Quneitra, and rural Damascus, amid warnings of wider escalation in case of repeated attacks.