Hezbollah has denied responsibility for the recent deadly strike in Majdal Shams, which killed at least 10 civilians in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights, contrary to Israeli claims that blamed Hezbollah. Concurrently, US troops in eastern Syria returned fire after missile attacks, targeting regime and Iranian forces. Italy announced plans to restore diplomatic ties with Syria after a decade, aiming to counter Russian influence, potentially causing rifts among EU allies. A DW.com report highlights concerns over the EU’s normalization push with Syria, suggesting it may bolster Assad’s legitimacy while human rights observers warn that Syria remains unsafe for returning refugees.
Hezbollah denies responsibility for Majdal Shams strike
Pro-Iran Network Al-Mayadeen reported that Hezbollah had fully denied any involvement and responsibility for a deadly strike on the village of Majdal Shams in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights, contrary to Israeli claims about the matter.
Hezbollah stressed that it had nothing to do with the incident, completely denying all the “false claims” in that regard.
This comes after a missile of unknown origin struck a playground in the occupied Syrian village of Majdal Shams, which is made up entirely of Druze Syrians. The strike killed at least 10 civilians, including children, and wounded at least a dozen others.
Reports indicate that the explosion may have been caused by an Iron Dome anti-air missile that deviated off its course and struck the area, as per Israeli media.
The strike is being investigated as of publishing, with multiple reports indicating that the strike resulted from a dud Israeli Tamir interceptor.
‘Israel’ insists Hezbollah behind attack
The Israeli occupation has placed the blame squarely on Hezbollah for the attack, Dmitri Gendelman, an advisor to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said Saturday.
The Israeli occupation vowed to take action. “Israel intends to take stern measures in response,” Gendelman added.
US troops in eastern Syria return fire after missile attacks — British war monitor
US troops stationed in eastern Syria have returned fire after they were attacked with at least ten missiles, a UK-based war monitor reports, noting that this was the second attack in two days.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says the American forces fired heavy artillery shells at “regime and Iranian forces” who attacked bases hosting troops from the US-led anti-jihadist coalition in the Deir Ezzor area near the border with Iraq as fighter jets scour the region.
Yesterday the war monitor said that at least one rocket had landed near a base of the coalition in the Conoco gas field in Deir Ezzor province.
Such attacks by Iran-backed armed groups in Iraq were frequent early in the war in Gaza, sparked by Hamas’s October 7 onslaught in southern Israel, but since then have largely halted.
There is no immediate claim of responsibility for the attacks.
The latest attack comes after a security meeting this week between Iraqi and US officials in Washington on the future of the international anti-jihadist coalition in Iraq. Iran-backed groups have demanded a withdrawal.
Italy to return ambassador to Syria after decade-long absence
Rome wants to re-establish diplomatic ties with Syria to prevent Russia from monopolising diplomatic efforts, a move that could spark divisions among European Union allies, Euronews reported.
Italy plans to send an ambassador back to Syria after a decade-long absence, the country’s foreign minister said, in a diplomatic move that could spark divisions among European Union allies.
Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, speaking in front of relevant parliamentary committees on Thursday, announced Rome’s intention to re-establish diplomatic ties with Syria.
Tajani said the move was to prevent Russia from monopolising diplomatic efforts in the Middle Eastern country.
The announcement also follows Wednesday’s meeting between Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and the isolated Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Moscow.
Putin told al-Assad he was concerned that tensions were rising in the Middle East, according to the Kremlin.
Will EU’s normalization push with Syria help Bashar Assad?
DW.com published a report on whether the EU’s normalization push with Syria will benefit Bashar Assad
Observers have expressed concerns about Europe’s ambitions to improve ties and return refugees to Syria amid ongoing conflicts. The report highlights that the foreign ministers of eight European countries — Italy, Austria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Greece, Slovenia, and Slovakia — are advocating for normalizing relations with Syrian President Bashar Assad. They proposed appointing an EU-Syria envoy and creating “safe zones” in government-held regions for returning Syrian migrants.
Despite Germany not being a signatory, its top administrative court ruled that there is no longer a general danger to civilians in Syria. However, human rights observers and UN Special Envoy Geir Pedersen stress that Syria remains unsafe, with ongoing violence, human rights abuses, and dire humanitarian conditions.
The report underscores that normalizing ties with Syria would bolster Assad’s legitimacy but would not necessarily lead to his control over the entire country. While Assad has recaptured 60% of the territory with Russian and Iranian help, the northeast is under Kurdish rule, and the northwest remains a stronghold of the opposition.
Experts argue that normalizing ties requires Assad’s diplomatic commitment and might improve Syria’s dire economic situation by lifting sanctions. However, they caution that benefits might be limited to regime-controlled areas, leaving opposition-held regions underfunded and vulnerable.
Julien Barnes-Dacey of the European Council on Foreign Relations argues for a new EU approach to Syria, emphasizing the need for security and economic improvements rather than forcing dramatic political change, which appears unlikely.
