Lebanese Hezbollah Confirms Deaths in Israeli Airstrikes Near Aleppo, Syria

At approximately 1850 EST on March 28th, 2024, local Syria media and eyewitnesses reported airstrikes in Aleppo, Syria which were immediately attributed to Israel. However, the Israeli government has not claimed responsibility for the strikes. Air defense systems were activated; however, no aircraft or munitions were reportedly intercepted. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) was the first body to attribute the airstrikes to Israel and they reported that the airstrikes were targeting Aleppo Airport..Casualty Numbers Grow.Initially, local sources reported that no casualties or material losses were sustained as the airstrikes were said to have struck an empty building. However, by 2100 EST, Syrian government officials reported 33 had been killed, including Syrian government forces in the strike. The SOHR confirmed by 2130 EST that at least 30 had been killed in Israeli strikes targeting a weapons depot near the Aleppo Airport..The boldest claim came from Iraqi pro-militia TG pages that reported the Israeli strikes came from within Jordanian airspace with protection from U.S. aircraft..LH Casualties.The first casualties among Lebanese Hezbollah (LH) came at around 2300 EST when Sky News Arabia reported five Lebanese nationals had been killed. By 0320 EST this morning, the first reports of senior LH members deaths began to circulate online. SOHR published, by 0400 EST that in addition to the 36 Syrian government forces members killed, six LH members were also killed..By 0430 EST, Iranian Foreign Minister Amirabdollahian was the first individual government source to comment on the strikes, calling it a violation of international sovereignty and a threat to peace in the region..By 0530 EST, LH began publishing the names of their fighters killed in the airstrikes. LH announced that three members had been killed: senior commander Ahmed Shahimi, Mustafa Makki, and Ibrahim Anis al-Zein..This is the largest Israeli airstrike this year in terms of casualties in the region, including the near-daily Israeli strikes into Southern Lebanon. This attack is sure to raise the temperature in Northern Israel as an LH counterattack is almost certainly expected.