2022 | Israel attacks Syria on 32 occasions, destroying 91 targets and ki*lling and injuring nearly 235 people

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 32 occasions since early 2022. This is the second largest number of Israeli attacks on Syria in one year; in 2020 Israel targeted Syria on 39 occasions, while in 2021 SOHR documented 29 Israeli attacks.

 

In this report the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) presents detailed information of all the Israeli strikes on Syria in 2022. SOHR has also documented heavy human and material losses caused by these attacks; the details of those attacks are summarised in the following main points:

 

 

Targeted areas, fatalities, and material damage

 

SOHR documented 32 airstrikes and ground rocket attacks in 2022, during which Israel targeted several positions in Syria, destroying nearly 91 targets, including buildings, warehouses, headquarters, centres and vehicles. These strikes killed one civilian and 89 combatants and injured 121 others. The fatalities are distributed as follows:

 

• Two Iranian officers of Al-Quds Corps.

 

• 11 Iranian-backed Syrian militiamen.

 

• 29 Iranian-backed non-Syrian militiamen.

 

• 36 regime officers and members of the regime’s air defences.

 

• 11 Syrian and non-Syrian militiamen working for the Lebanese Hezbollah.

 

• The foreman in the cargo department of the ground treatment service in Damascus airport.

 

Those attacks also left 23 civilians, including a little girl and three women at least, injured.

 

 

Meanwhile the attacks are distributed regionally as follows:

 

• Damascus and Rif Dimashq: 18 attacks.

 

• Al-Quneitera: five attacks.

 

• Hama: four attacks.

 

• Tartus: two attacks.

 

• Aleppo: two attacks.

 

• Homs: two attacks.

 

• Latakia: one attack.

 

• Deir Ezzor: 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: Two attacks left several people injured and caused material damage.

 

• February: Four attacks killed eight combatants.

 

• March: One attack killed four combatants.

 

• April: Three attacks killed ten combatants.

 

• May: Three attacks killed ten combatants and the foreman in the cargo department of the ground treatment service in Damascus airport.

 

• June: Two attacks left several people injured and caused material damage.

 

• July: Three attacks killed nine combatants and injured several others.

 

• August: Five attacks killed five combatants and injured several others.

 

• September: Two attacks killed ten combatants and injured several others.

 

• October: Three attacks killed six combatants and injured several others.

 

• November: Three attacks killed 21 combatants and injured several others.

 

• December: One attack killed six combatants and injured several others.

 

 

Full details of the Israeli attacks are categorised as follows:

 

• January 5: A fire broke out in bushes of Al-Huriyyah village near the “disengagement line” and Occupied Syrian Golan, after Israeli tanks had opened fire on a military post in that area. The attack coincided with military movements in the area.

 

• January 31: positions of the Lebanese Hezbollah nearby Al-Qutayfa city in eastern Qalamoun area to the north-east of the capital, Damascus, came under an Israeli attack. According to SOHR sources, at least five explosions were heard in Al-Qutayfa city followed by the outbreak of fire in military posts and weapons and ammunitions warehouses of Lebanese Hezbollah in the vicinity of the city.

 

• February 9: Israeli forces carried out two rounds of attacks in Syrian territory in the early hours of Wednesday morning. The first round was carried out by fighter jets flying over Lebanon, where the Israeli airstrikes targeted positions on the old highway between Damascus and Beirut in Rif Dimashq and the outskirts of Jadidat Al-Shibani in Wadi Baradi where warehouses and military positions of Iranian-backed militias are located. Meanwhile, regime air-defences attempted to intercept the Israeli airstrikes, shooting down some missiles. The second round of Israeli attacks, which was carried out with rockets fired from the occupied Syrian Golan, targeted regime air-defence batteries in the same area, killing a regime first lieutenant. It is worth noting that shrapnel of a missile fired by regime air-defences caused material damage to civilian properties in a neighbourhood Qudsiyya area.

 

• February 17: Israeli missiles fired from the occupied Syrian Golan targeted at least one building belonging to the Division-7 Ground Forces in the area between Zakya and Khan Al-Shih in western Rif Dimashq. The sound of the explosion was heard in faraway suburbs. The attack targeted a meeting attended by unidentified security and military officials. However, the results of the attack remains unknown, while ambulances were seen rushing to the attacked site till dawn. SOHR sources added that the region had witnessed high traffic of cars, a few hours before the attack.

 

• February 23: Israeli surface-to-surface missiles fired from the occupied Syrian Golan targeted a finance directorate headquarters in Al-Ba’ath city and other positions nearby Al-Rowhinah village in Al-Quneitra province. The attack caused only material damages. It is worth noting that Hezbollah and other Iranian-backed militias are deployed in several posts in Al-Rowhinah and Al-Ba’ath.

 

• February 24: Israeli rocket fire hit posts and weapons warehouses of Iranian-backed militias nearby Damascus international airport and the air-defence system in areas along Al-Keswah and Sayeda Zeinab, south of Damascus. The attack killed seven people, including four Syrians: two regime soldiers and two members close to the Lebanese Hezbollah. The three others were Iranian-backed militias, but their nationalities remained unknown.

 

• March 7: Two officers of “Al-Quds Corps”, which is affiliated with the Iranian “Revolutionary Guard Corps” and two Syrian fighters of Iranian-backed militias were killed in Israeli airstrikes on Iranian military posts near Damascus national airport. It is worth noting that while attempting to intercept the Israeli missiles by regime, one of regime air defence’s missiles hit a marble factory in “Dahiayt Al-Assad” area in Rif Dimashq, completely destroying the marble factory.

 

• April 9: Israeli missiles hit five positions in west Hama countryside in the following areas: the vicinity of the faculty of administration, the scientific research centre which hosts defence service’s factories, a military post in Al-Suwaidah village and a military post on the outskirts of Masyaf.

 

• April 14: Israel fired missiles on military positions in the vicinity of Rakhla town and near the poultry farms between Ambiyah and Kaf Qouq towns in the vicinity of Qatna, south-west of Rif Dimashq. That region hosts a military site of Iranian-backed militias and the “Palestine Liberation Army.”

 

• April 27: Israeli missiles hit military outposts in the vicinity of Sahnaya, Jabal Al-Sumariah near the 100^th Regiment, the mountain which is near Damascus international airport, an area between Dummar and Qudsaya, as well as Al-Kiswah area in Rif Dimashq, which hosts military positions of regime forces, Iranian-backed militias and the Lebanese Hezbollah. The Israeli attack left ten military personnel dead: six Syrians, including a colonel and four other fighters whose nationalities remain unknown. The Israeli rocket fire also led to the destruction of weapons and ammunitions warehouses in Al-Sumariyan area and the mountain near Damascus international airport, as well as the destruction of military barracks in Sahnaya and Al-Kiswah.

 

• May 11: SOHR sources reported that Israeli missiles hit positions in the vicinity of Hader town in northern Al-Quneitra countryside near the border with the occupied Syrian Golan, where positions of Iranian and Hezbollah-backed militias, mainly the “Syrian Resistance for the Liberation of the Golan,” are deployed.

 

• May 13: Six officers and non-commissioned officers, including five of Air-defence forces, were killed in direct Israeli attack on an Air-Defence vehicle carrying them while they were attempting to intercept the Israeli rockets fired on Wadi Al-Oyun road, west of Masyaf, and Al-Suwaidah area to the south-east of Masyaf in Hama province. In addition, the Israeli rocket fire left over ten other combatants and civilians, including a little girl, injured.

 

• May 20, Israeli missiles hit military positions of Iranian-backed militias in the vicinity of Jabal Al-Mani’, near Al-Kiswah city in south-western Rif Dimashq, and in Jamraya area, north of the capital Damascus, and the surrounding areas of Damascus international airport. In addition, shrapnel of Israeli missiles hit a farm in Sayeda Zeinab area controlled by Iranian-backed militias, south of Damascus. The Israeli bombardment left five people dead: three air-defence officers, a regime soldier and the foreman in the cargo department of the ground treatment service in Damascus airport.

 

• June 6: Loud explosions were heard in the southern part of Rif Dimashq due to an Israeli aerial attack on military positions in Al-Keswa area where militiamen of the Lebanese Hezbollah and Syrian regime batteries are deployed. The site was targeted with nearly ten missiles, nearly seven of which were intercepted by regime air-defences. Also, an Israeli missile hit a position in Aqraba town, which caused material damage only.

 

• June 10: Israel fired several missiles on Damascus international airport, specifically the northern runway, the control tower, the old arrival halls, three hangars and warehouses. It is worth noting that these old arrival halls, vast parts of which were destroyed, had been opened previously for those who were on their way to Saudi Arabia to perform pilgrimage. These halls were later used for welcoming senior commanders of IRGC and Lebanese Hezbollah secretly and temporarily storing Iranian weapons, before Iranian headquarters were transported to areas to the south of Damascus. The airport was back in service on June 22, after maintenance work had been accomplished.

 

• July 2: Several violent explosions were heard in areas in the countryside of Tartous near and at the border with Lebanon due to Israeli airstrikes that hit positions in and around Al-Hamidiyah area south of Tartous near the border. Israeli missiles hit animal husbandry believed to be used militarily and commercially by Lebanese Hezbollah, causing severe material damage. A young man also suffered a broken foot and a woman also suffered bruises because of the shrapnel of Israeli missiles.

 

• July 7: An Israeli drone targeted a person from Hadar town in northern Al-Quneitra countryside, on Wednesday evening, immediately killing him. According to SOHR sources, the dead man was working in monitoring and reconnaissance for Lebanese Hezbollah, in Hadar town on the occupied Syrian Golan border. The man was targeted by the Israeli drone near his house in Maqlaa’ Hadi area west of Hadar town.

 

• July 22: Israeli attacks killed three people of non-Syrian nationalities and two “collaborators” with the Lebanese Hezbollah in a position hosting a workshop for manufacturing Iranian drones nearby Sayeda Zeinab area, as well as three Syrian members in military positions hosting air defence batteries in the perimeter of Al-Mazzah airbase. Israeli missiles hit offices of the Air-force Intelligence service, the office of a senior officer and a car on the perimeter of Al-Mazzah airbase. Moreover, missiles hit positions near a security checkpoint on the perimeter of Al-Mazzah airbase, Al-Mazzah highway and an Iranian warehouse in the vicinity of Sayeda Zeinab area, destroying it completely.

 

• August 12: An Israeli tank fired shells on Al-Himaydiyah area in Al-Quneitra countryside at the border with occupied Syrian Golan, injuring two people.

 

• August 14: Three regime soldiers were killed and several others were injured in an Israeli attack which hit a base of the air-defence forces and a radar system’s unit in Abu Afsah village, five kilometres to the south of Tartous city on the Syrian coastline. The targeted posts are located nearly eight kilometres away from the Russian base. Israeli missiles also hit a regime military post in Al-Qutyfah area in Rif Dimashq.

 

• August 25: A regime soldier was killed in Israeli strikes that hit warehouses in the vicinity of Masyaf in west Hama countryside. The Israeli missiles also hit positions and ammunitions and weapons depots of Iranian-backed militias in areas on Wadi Al-Oyun road to the west of Masyaf, the scientific research area, Al-Suwaidah area to the south-east of Masyaf and Al-Jalimah area. Following the attack, successive loud explosions were heard for hours, while SOHR documented the injury of 14 civilians. According to SOHR sources, the Iranian missiles, which exploded in the warehouses targeted by the Israeli attack, were assembled over the course of more than a year and their number is estimated to be more than 1,000.

 

• August 31: Three Israeli missiles hit ammunitions and weapons warehouses of Iranian-backed militias nearby Aleppo international airport, while a fourth missile hit the perimeter of the airport. However, no damage to the airport’s runway. It is worth noting that Russian and regime forces are stationed inside Aleppo international airport, while the Iranians are prohibited from using the airport for any military activities, although the airport is used by Iranian airlines which transport “Shai’a pilgrims,” as they claim. According to reliable SOHR sources, Russian forces stationed inside the airport had prior knowledge of the Israeli airstrikes, as they were put on high alert ten minutes before the strikes.

 

• August 31, a regime soldier was killed in Israeli attack with two missiles on regime military positions hosting militiamen of the Lebanese Hezbollah in south-eastern Rif Dimashq. The attack also injured three persons whose nationalities remains unknown. Regime air-defences managed to shot down one of the missiles, before it reached its target. The targeted sites are located a few kilometres away from Damascus international airport and Sayeda Zeinab area.

 

• September 6: Three Iranian-backed non-Syrian militiamen were killed and five others were wounded by Israeli strikes on on warehouses of Iranian-backed militias nearby Al-Malikiyah neighbourhood, near Aleppo international airport. The strikes destroyed the warehouses and caused large blazes. Also, at least two missiles hit the runway of Aleppo international airport, causing considerable damage and putting the airport out of service.

 

• September 17: Seven people: five members of the regime’s air-defence forces and two Iranian-backed non-Syrian militiamen, were killed in an Israeli attack which hit positions in Mazare’ Al-Ghasolah near Damascus international airport, the vicinity of Al-Sayda Zainab area and Al-Keswa area in Rif Dimashq, where Iranian-backed militias are stationed.

 

• October 21: Israeli strikes destroyed military logistics and equipment used to assemble Iranian-made drones in Dimas military airport area in western Rif Dimashq. The strikes also targeted a radar system and airstrip at the airport. However, no casualties were reported.

 

• October 24: A regime Lieutenant and a members of the regime’s air-defence forces were killed in Israeli airstrikes which targeted military positions hosting militiamen of the Lebanese Hezbollah and Iranian-backed militias in Rif Dimashq. The strikes targeted an air-defence battalion in Khirbet Al-Shayab area of Al-Kiswa in Rif Dimashq and Dimas airport in Rif Dimashq which is directly run by Lebanese Hezbollah.

 

• October 27: Four “collaborators” with the Lebanese Hezbollah, including at least one Syrian, were killed in Israeli strikes which targeted weapons and ammunitions depots and Iranian-backed militias’ headquarters in the surrounding areas of Damascus international airport. The Israeli strikes reached six, four of which targeted weapons warehouses and positions of Iranian-backed militias and Lebanese Hezbollah in the farms to the west of Damascus airport, while the two others targeted areas to the south-west of the airport. The strikes also destroyed weapons and ammunitions depots and inflicted heavy material losses on Iranian-backed militias.

 

• November 9: Israeli aircraft attacked oil trucks and trucks loaded with weapons affiliated to Iranian-backed militias in the area of customs yard in Al-Herri and the military gate in Al-Bokamal countryside, east of Deir Ezzor. In addition, the airstrikes targeted a military site of Iranian-backed militias near the area, leaving 14 people and causing heavy material losses because of the explosion of the targeted oil trucks and trucks carrying weapons.

 

• November 13: Three members of the regime’s air-defence forces, including a major and a lieutenant, were killed and 16 others injured by Israeli strikes that targeted an arms depot of Iranian-backed militias, Iranian air-defences and a drone centre in Al-She’ayrat airbase area in Homs countryside.

 

• November 19: Israeli fighter jets attacked Iranian-baked militias’ sites and a regime air-defence battery in central Syria. The airstrikes targeted positions of Iranian-backed militias Masyaf countryside in the western countryside of Hama, other positions in Homs countryside and Jableh countryside in Latakia province. The attack left four Syrian military personnel, including three officers, dead and others injured, as well as destroying the weapons and ammunitions of Iranian-baked militias, amid confirmed reports of fatalities among the Iranian-backed militias.

 

• December 20: Six Syrian and non-Syrian people working for the Lebanese Hezbollah were killed by Israeli airstrikes which targeted posts of the Lebanese Hezbollah and Iranian-backed militias in the perimeter of Damascus international airport. According to SOHR sources, three missiles hit farms between Al-Bahdaliyah and Sayeda Zeinab area in Rif Dimashq, completely destroying a warehouse, while a fourth missile hit a under-construction building and a basement in Kwa Al-Sudani street in Sayeda Zeinab area.

 

 

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.