In a significant escalation of conflict, two high-ranking figures from the Palestinian group Islamic Jihad were killed in an Israeli airstrike on Qudsaya, located in the Damascus area of Syria. The strike, which occurred on Thursday, also reportedly targeted various offices and residential areas associated with the group. The casualties were confirmed in a statement released by Islamic Jihad, which identified the deceased as Abdel Aziz Minawi and Rasmi Yusuf Abu Issa, both key leaders within the organization.
Minawi, who was born in 1945, was recognized as a prominent leader within Islamic Jihad, while Abu Issa, born in 1972, held the title of the group’s head of Arab relations. Their deaths were announced alongside the loss of additional members of the organization as a result of the airstrikes. The group declared that the bodies of Minawi and Abu Issa were retrieved on Saturday morning. Islamic Jihad expressed determination to continue its resistance against Israel, asserting that the leaders’ deaths would only strengthen their resolve.
Israeli officials, traditionally reticent in commenting on specific strikes, took responsibility for the operation that led to the deaths of the Islamic Jihad leaders. However, the military declined to provide specific commentary concerning the individual losses. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war-monitoring organization based in Britain, reported that the Israeli air strikes around Damascus resulted in at least 23 fatalities. Among those killed in the Mazzeh district, which is known for its upscale areas, were 13 individuals, including both civilians and Iran-backed fighters. Furthermore, a separate assault on the outskirts of the capital resulted in the deaths of 10 Islamic Jihad militants, according to the Observatory.
In a related development, Syrian state media reported a follow-up strike in the Mazzeh district on Friday. The frequency of attacks attributed to Israel in Syria has increased, particularly in regions adjacent to the Lebanese border, with strategic targets often including Hezbollah strongholds.
Moreover, Islamic Jihad is currently holding several Israeli hostages taken during the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel that began on October 7, 2023, marking the start of the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip. Earlier this week, the group released two video clips featuring Sasha Trupanov, a 29-year-old Russian-Israeli hostage, further highlighting the complex dynamics of the current hostilities. The developments continue to fuel tensions in an already volatile region, as both sides brace for potential further escalations.
