Two civilians killed in missile attack on car in Damascus: Syrian state media
We have some more information about the attack on a car in Syria’s capital, Damascus, that we reported earlier.
Syrian state news agency SANA has quoted a military source as saying the apparent guided missile attack, which was blamed on Israel, had killed two civilians.
“At approximately 5:17pm [14:17 GMT] today, the Israeli enemy launched an air attack targeting a civilian car in the Mazzeh residential neighbourhood in Damascus, which led to the death of two civilians, the injury of three others and material damage to private property in the surrounding area,” the source said.
There was no immediate comment by Israel, which rarely provides information about its attacks in Syria. Israel has been carrying out attacks against what it says are Iran-linked targets in Syria for years but has ramped up such raids over the past 12 months.
Israeli military claims killing of Hezbollah commander in Damascus strike
The Israeli army spokesperson claims that a strike in Syria’s capital killed the commander of a Hezbollah unit who was responsible for the transfer of weapons from Iran.
Syrian emergency and security services inspect the wreckage of a car that exploded in Damascus on October 21
Israel arresting seven for allegedly spying for Iran
As we previously reported, Israeli authorities have arrested seven citizens who they say were paid by Iran to collect intelligence for more than two years.
In a statement, Israel’s internal security agency and police alleged that the seven collected information about other Israelis and photographed Israeli military installations, including missile defence systems, air force and naval sites, and power plants.
Abed Abou Shhada, a Jaffa-based independent journalist, has told Al Jazeera what was particularly distinctive about this case was the identity of the suspects.
“This is without a doubt groundbreaking both for the Israeli society and the Israeli security services, because usually the people who are automatic suspects in these stories were either … Palestinian citizens or Palestinians from the West Bank,” he said. “But now, it’s Israeli Jewish citizens; two of them are minors and one of them was a soldier who deserted from the military.”
The timing was also particularly important, he noted, as the alleged operations happened at a time of war, with Israel having faced attacks by both Iran and Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah group.
