DAMASCUS – An airstrike targeted a site west of the southern Syrian province of Sweida on Friday, killing three people, according to preliminary reports by a war monitor and Syrian media.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a Britain-based watchdog group, said the airstrike, believed to have been carried out by an Israeli drone, struck an area near an electricity facility close to the Kanaker road.

Following the strike, a loud explosion was heard across the area, and plumes of smoke were sent into the sky, triggering a security alert in the vicinity. There has been no official confirmation of casualties, though Syria TV reported at least three fatalities.

The Israeli military has yet to comment on the incident.

The strike could mark the latest in a series of intensified Israeli attacks on Syrian territory. According to the SOHR, Israel has conducted 48 attacks inside Syria since the start of 2025, including 40 airstrikes and eight ground operations, targeting 58 sites such as weapons depots, command centers, and military vehicles.

The latest strike comes amid heightened violence between Druze groups and government-aligned forces in Druze-majority areas in southern Syria, which has left more than 100 people dead over recent days, fueling concerns of further unrest.

Israel has recently warned of harsh responses against Syria if clashes with the Druze community continue in the country.

XINHUA