The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

2021 | Israel attacks Syria on nearly 30 occasions, destroying over 70 targets and killing nearly 130 people

SOHR emphasises the importance of getting Iran out of Syria and keeping civilians and public properties out of regional conflicts.

Israel continues to violate Syria’s sovereignty, citing the large military presence of Iranian forces and their proxy militias as an excuse, as Israel has noticeably escalated its strikes in Syria since early 2018, and targeted Syrian territory on 29 occasions since early 2021, which is the second largest number of Israeli attacks on Syria in one year; in 2020 Israel targeted Syria on 39 occasions.

In this report the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) presents detailed information of all the Israeli strikes on Syria in 2021. SOHR has also documented the human losses and material damage caused by these attacks. The details of all Israeli attacks during 2021 are summarised in the following main points:

Targeted areas, fatalities, and material damage

SOHR documented 29 airstrikes and ground rocket attacks in 2021, during which Israel targeted several positions in Syria, destroying nearly 70 targets, including buildings, warehouses, headquarters, centres and vehicles. These strikes killed 130 people and they were as follows:

  • Five civilians, including a man, his wife and their two children and another man.
  • 125 regime soldiers and proxies, members of Iranian forces and Lebanese Hezbollah and their loyal militiamen.

 

Fatalities of militiamen and regime soldiers are categorised as follows:

  • 28 non-Syrian militiamen of Iran-backed militias and Lebanese Hezbollah.
  • 25 Syrian militiamen of Iran-backed militias and Lebanese Hezbollah.
  • 24 Iraqi militiamen.
  • 17 militiamen of the Afghan “Liwa Fatemiyoun”.
  • Five militiamen of the Pakistani “Liwa Zainebiyoun”.
  • 26 regime soldiers and loyalists.

Meanwhile the attacks are distributed regionally as follows:

  • Damascus and Rif Dimashq: 12 attacks
  • Homs: six attacks
  • Al-Quneitera: five attacks
  • Deir Ezzor: two attacks
  • Hama: two attacks
  • Lattakia: two attacks
  • Al-Suwaydaa: two attacks
  • Aleppo: one attack

SOHR would like to point out that Israel sometimes targeted more than one province in a single attack.

Here is a monthly distribution of Israeli attacks and fatalities they left:

  • January: Three attacks killed 60 militiamen and four civilians, including a woman, her husband and two children.
  • February: Three attacks killed nine persons.
  • March: One attack left no fatalities.
  • April: Two attacks killed four persons.
  • May: Three attacks killed ten persons, including a civilian.
  • June: One attack killed 11 persons.
  • July: Two attacks killed five persons.
  • August: Two attacks killed four persons.
  • September: One attack left no fatalities.
  • October: Four attacks killed 17 persons.
  • November: Four attacks killed five persons.
  • December: Two attacks killed one person.

Although Israel’s attacks on Syrian escalated in the second half of 2021 with 15 attacks compared to 13 in the first half of the year, the number of fatalities in the first six months remained higher, 98,compared to 32 in the second half of the year.

Full details of the Israeli attacks are categorised as follows:

 

January 6: Israeli strikes targeted a radar system battalion in the west of Al-Dour village in Al-Suwaidaa countryside, “Najran” battalion in the north-west of Al-Suwaidaa at the administrative border with Daraa province, and the surrounding areas of the 1st Division in Al-Keswa area and other sites on Damascus-Daraa highway.

It is worth noting that the targeted areas hosted militias loyal to Iranian forces and Lebanese Hezbollah, as well as regime forces and loyalists. The attack left three people dead, two of whom in Al-Kiswa area and the other at the radar system battalion in Al-Suwaidaa, while more than 11 people were injured, some of whom sustained severe wounds. The attack also destroyed the radar system in west Al-Suwaidaa, as well as weapons depots, south of the capital, Damascus.

January 13: An Israeli attack killed 57 people, the largest death toll ever in 2021 and in a single attack. The attack targeted positions, weapons and ammunitions warehouses and missiles depots affiliated to regime forces, the Lebanese Hezbollah, Iranian forces and their proxies, especially Liwaa Fatimyoun. The attack hit the area between Deir Ezzor city and Al-Bokamal desert on the Syria-Iraq borders. The deaths were documented in the following areas:

  • Deir Ezzor city: 26 persons were killed in ten strikes by Israeli fighter jets on Ayyash warehouses, Sa’ka camp, the 137th Brigade, the mountain overlooking Deir Ezzor city and other positions on the outskirts of the city. The fatalities were ten regime soldiers, four members of the “military security” and 12 Iranian-backed militiamen. However, it is unknown whether or not the fatalities included members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps and Lebanese Hezbollah. The Israeli strikes on Deir Ezzor city destroyed weapons and missiles warehouses and headquarters.
  • Al-Bokamal: 16 Iranian-backed Iraqi militiamen were killed in six Israeli airstrikes on positions, weapons warehouses and ammunition depots in the area of “Al-Hezam”, Al-Jam’iyat neighbourhood and other positions in Al-Bokamal desert. This attack destroyed centres and vehicles.
  • Al-Mayadeen: 15 Iranian-backed non-Syrian militiamen, including 11 Afghan members of Liwaa Fatimyoun were killed in Israeli strikes on positions and weapons warehouses in Al-Mazare area in Al-Mayadeen desert in the eastern countryside of Dear Ezzor. The attack also destroyed weapons warehouses and headquarters.

January 22: Israeli fighter jets flying over Lebanon struck at least five positions of Iranian-backed militias and the Lebanese Hezbollah nearby Hama city and Syria’s central area. The airstrikes destroyed all the targeted positions. On the other hand, shrapnels of missiles, fired by regime air-defences in an attempt to intercept the Israeli missiles, hit the residential neighbourhood of Kazu in the north-western part of Hama city, killing a family of four: a woman, her husband and two children, and seriously injured an old man, a woman and two other children.

February 3: Israeli bombardment targeted several military positions, including farms where militias affiliated with the Lebanese Hezbollah and the “Syrian Resistance for the Liberation of the Golan” were located. Meanwhile, explosions rocked military posts of the regime’s Brigade-90 Tanks, where Iranian-backed militias were stationed, in Al-Habbariyah area in Al-Quneitra near the administrative border with Daraa, amid reports of the destruction of these posts.

February 15: Israeli rockets hit headquarters of the 4th Division in the mountains surrounding Damascus-Beirut highway, known as “Beirut old highway”, where weapons and missiles depots belonging to the Iranians and their proxy militias were located. The Israeli attack destroyed depots of sophisticated missiles which Iran had transferred to the headquarters of the 4th Division. Headquarters of the Syrian regime’s First Division and surrounding area in Al-Kiswa, as well as other locations west and south-west of Damascus also came under attack. This attack left nine pro-Iranian militiamen dead in the airstrikes of Al-Kiswa area, while seven others were killed in the attacks on the Iranian missiles’ depots in the headquarters of the 4th Division in the mountains around Damascus-Beirut highway. It is worth noting that all fatalities were not of Syrian or Arab nationalities.

February 28: An attack targeted positions of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps and Lebanese Hezbollah in the south of the capital, Damascus, while the targeted positions were cordoned off and no one was allowed to approach without commanders’ permissions.

On March 12, SOHR obtained new details about the Israeli strikes on the south of Syria’s capital, Damascus, on February 28. Very reliable sources informed SOHR that the attack’s objective was to kill three commanders of Al-Quds Corps, whose nationalities, whether Iranian or Syrian, remained unknown, while unconfirmed reports suggested that one of the three commanders was affiliated to the Lebanese Hezbollah. However, the commanders had evacuated their house in Sayeda Zeinab area in the south of Damascus, just a few hours before the Israeli attack. Accordingly, the Israeli attack’s objective was not achieved. It is worth noting that the commanders of these militias periodically change their residence and places where weapons and ammunition are stored, fearing of repeated attacks.

March 16: Israel airstrikes targeted two weapons warehouses of Iranian forces in regime military positions, a few kilometres away from Damascus international airport. It is worth noting that the explosions in the first warehouse were more violent. However, it was unknown whether ammunition stored earlier exploded or not.

April 8: Israeli missiles destroyed weapons and ammunition warehouse believed to be used by militias affiliated to the Lebanese Hezbollah in a military post near Al-Demas area. This attack also left three militiamen dead, but it is unknown whether they were Lebanese or foreigners affiliated to Iranian-backed militias.

April 22: Israeli missiles hit the regime Air-Defence base in Al-Dumayr area,  destroying air-defence batteries, killing a lieutenant and seriously injuring  three other regime soldiers. It is worth noting that Al-Dumayr area hosts headquarters and warehouses belonging to the Iranian-backed militias.

May 5: Israeli airstrikes hit military positions of regime forces and Iranian-backed militias in both the countryside of Hama and Latakia:

  • Hama: the airstrikes hit weapons and ammunition warehouses in mountains and forests in the area of Deir Shmail in the western countryside of Hama near the administrative border with Lattakia.
  • Lattakia: several airstrikes hit military headquarters, weapons and ammunition warehouses in the south of Al-Haffa. Also, in Suq Al-Jumaa, an area contains old villas in southern Lattakia, several explosions were heard, but it was not unclear whether they were caused by Israeli airstrikes or shrapnels of the missiles of the regime’s air-defences, as regime’s air-defence batteries were located near Suq Al-Jumaa.

On the other hand, one civilian was killed and over five others, including a woman and three children, were injured; also  as well as a plastic factory belonging to a civilian in Ras Shamra and Ras Al-Ain in Lattakia countryside was destroyed. These attacks also left eight members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its proxy militias dead, and the fatalities are distributed as follows:

  • Five members of IRGC of Iranian and Afghan nationalities were killed as a result of the Israeli airstrike on their headquarters in Deir Shmail in the western countryside of Hama near the administrative borders with Lattakia.
  • Three IRGC-backed militiamen, one Syrian and two non-Syrians were killed by the Israeli strikes on the countryside of Lattakia.

Moreover, nine people were injured.

May 6: An Israeli helicopter flying over the Syrian Golan hit, with two missiles, a regime military post nearby Jbata Al-Khashab town in the north of Al-Quneitra, near the occupied Syrian Golan, hosting members of the reconnaissance and monitoring brigades of the Lebanese Hezbollah. The strike wounded three members stationed at the military post. Meanwhile, another military post nearby Tel Al-Sha’ar came under attack, leaving several members injured. However, it is not known whether the wounded members belonged to regime forces or the reconnaissance and monitoring brigades of Hezbollah.

May 10: An Israeli helicopter targeted a place where a person working for the Lebanese Hezbollah was located, near Ein Al-Tineh in the west of Hadar in the occupied Syrian Golan. The man was taken to the hospital in Al-Quneitra as he sustained severe wounds. According to SOHR sources, the targeted person was from the occupied town of Majdal Shams, and lived in the town of Hadar. It is worth noting that the targeted man’s father had been detained in  Israeli prisons, and his two brothers were killed in previous battles against the opposition factions in the northern countryside of Al-Quneitra.

June 9: Israeli jets attacked military positions in Homs and Damascus as follows:

  • Homs: Israeli strikes hit the scientific research centre and other military posts and positions of the National Defence Forces and Air-Defence Forces in the vicinity of Kharbat Al-Tinah in west-western Homs. The strikes also targeted an ammunition warehouse belonging to the Lebanese Hezbollah, south of Homs city. These strikes left 11 Syrian regime soldiers and militiamen of the National Defence Forces, including a brigadier general, dead.
  • Damascus: SOHR activists reported hearing explosions in the perimeter of Damascus international airport and the Air-Defence Battalion in the Al-Dumayr area. The explosions were caused by Israeli attacks on weapons warehouses.

July 19: Israeli fighter jets conducted several strikes on positions of Iranian-backed militias in Al-Waha area in Al-Sferah in the south-eastern countryside of Aleppo. The airstrikes destroyed an Iranian position and a military base and killed five Iranian-backed militiamen, including two Syrians and three non-Syrians.

July 22: Israeli fighter jets flying over Lebanon struck military positions of the Lebanese Hezbollah in Al-Dab’a military airbase, Al-Qusair area in the western countryside of Homs and other military positions and posts in the eastern countryside of Homs. These airstrikes destroyed weapons and ammunition warehouses.

August 17: A fire broke out at a military post of regime forces and Iranian militias in Qurs Al-Nafl hill in the west to Huder town in the northern countryside of Al-Quneitra, after being targeted with three Israeli missiles. No casualties were reported.

August 19: Israeli missiles hit weapons warehouses and military positions in Qarrah area in Rif Dimashq, on the administrative border with the south-western countryside of Homs. The attack killed four “collaborators” with Lebanese Hezbollah, including Iranian, Iraqi and two Syrians.

October 3: Israeli attacks targeted regime military positions used by Iranian factions for weapons development in the area of the scientific research centre in Barzah and Jomraya regions in Rif Dimashq, but no casualties were reported. While ambulances rushed to the targeted site which was cordoned off.

October 8:Three Iranian-backed militiamen were killed by Israeli airstrikes on T4 military airbase in the eastern countryside of Homs, where weapons and ammunition warehouses and platforms for launching drones affiliated to Iranian-backed militias were located.

October 13: An Israeli attack killed nine militiamen, including five Syrians working for Hezbollah and the Iranian-backed militias, while the identities of the others remained unknown. The airstrikes hit several Iranian-backed militias’ centres, including a training centre and a communication tower, a few kilometres to the east of T4 airbase and to the west of Palmyra city.

October 25: Israeli jet fired two missiles on two military centres of the regime forces and their proxies on the outskirt of Al-Baath city and Al-Korom village in Al-Qunitera, leaving material losses.

October 30: Israeli surface-to-surface missiles, originating from the occupied territory, targeted weapons and ammunition shipment belonging to the Lebanese Hezbollah and Iranian-backed militias in Qudsiya area and Al-Demas in the north-west of Damascus, while the shipment was heading to Lebanon. The attack left five militiamen affiliated to Iranian-backed militias and Lebanese Hezbollah. It was unclear whether the causalities were Syrians or foreign.

November 3: Israeli forces fired several missiles from the occupied Palestinian territories on positions in Zakiyah area in western Rif Dimashq. It is worth noting that the targeted positions host weapons and ammunition warehouses affiliated to the Iranian-backed militias, as well as headquarters of the 4th Divisions. However, no casualties were reported.

November 8: missiles originating from the airspace of north Lebanon hit areas hosting military barracks, the headquarters of a regime-backed prominent military formation and Al-Shayrat airbase where the Lebanese Hezbollah and Iranian-backed militias were stationed in the south-eastern countryside of Homs.

November 17:Israeli missiles fired from the occupied Syrian Golan and targeted positions in southern Damascus. However, no casualties were reported. SOHR was unable to verify whether or not the targeted sites hosted headquarters and positions of Iranian-backed militias and Lebanese Hezbollah.

November 24:Five people were killed by the Israeli rocket fire which hit the western suburbs of Homs, as well as by shrapnels of missiles by Israel and regime air-defences which was attempting to intercept the Israeli attack. Two of the fatalities were militiamen loyal to the Lebanese Hezbollah, but their nationalities remained unknown, while the three others were regime soldiers, two of whom were in plain clothes at the time of the attack.

December 7: Israeli fighter jets fired several missiles on the port of the coastal city of Lattakia, targeting Iranian weapons containers. The Israeli attack caused severe material loses, but no casualties were reported.

December 16: Israel fired missiles from the occupied Syrian Golan targeted an air-defence site, south of Al-Shahba area in the western countryside of Al-Suwaydaa. The Israeli attack killed at least a regime soldier, wounded others, and destroyed the site.

December 28:Israeli missiles targeted weapons and ammunition containers in the port of Lattakia. The attack caused considerable material damage.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) is used to hearing the Syrian regime’s empty mantra that it always reserves the right to respond to  Israeli attacks. However, regime forces do not hesitate when it comes to shelling opposition positions or bombarding residential and civilian areas inside Syria. The Iranians also dare not launch a large-scale military operation against Israel, as they know full well that they will be facing the might of Israel’s military, so the Iranians seem satisfied with letting its proxies do its bidding by firing only a few rockets from time to time on the occupied Syrian Golan, using the Iranian and Hezbollah-backed movement “Syrian Resistance to Liberate Golan”.

At a time when the Syrian regime “intercepts and downs” Israeli missiles only with a Russian green light, Israel can hit Iranian targets -with the purpose of undermining the Iranian military presence in Syria- and only with Russia’s full consent.

On the other hand, Washington justifies Israel’s stance that “Tel Aviv practices its legal rights to defend its security and interests against the Iranian direct threat”, not to mention the US desire to get Syria free of Iranian forces and militias.

We, at the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), call for keeping the Syrian civilians out of the regional conflicts as the targeted areas and facilities are owned by Syrian people alone, not by Iran or its proxy militias.

SOHR stresses the importance of expelling the Iranian forces and militias from Syria without risking the safety and lives of civilians or damaging Syria’s public properties and facilities.

Iran’s presence in Syria is detrimental to all Syrians, as it drags Syria into regional conflictswhich don not benefit the people of Syria. Iran is using Syria to further its influence in the wider Middle East and to settle scores with regional foes. Israel’s frequent attacks on Syria would not have happened had it not been for Iran’s presence in Syria. This presence has claimed the lives of many Syrians and deepened the sectarian rifts in the country. Therefore, SOHR calls on all the international community to put an end to Iran’s presence and all foreign interference in Syria and find a lasting political solution to the protracted Syrian crisis.

The Syrian Observatory would like to point out that all information and figures mentioned in this report have been documented and updated until the date of publication.