On July 16 local time, the Israeli military released footage showing Israeli Air Force F-15I and F-35I fighter jets bombing the General Staff in Damascus, the Syrian Ministry of Defense building, and the October Palace (the former presidential palace of Syria) during the day. The Israeli Air Force also conducted new strikes on the bases of HTS militants and the Syrian New Army around Damascus, and Israeli aircraft carried out new attacks on the Damascus-Sweida highway. The targets of the Israeli air strikes included areas near the former Syrian Army's 10th Division base in the countryside of Damascus, Katana, and Israeli Air Force fighter jets and armed drones launched new bombings in the southern Daraa province.
The Israeli Defense Forces are currently preparing to move two infantry divisions from Gaza to Golan Heights, ready to enter Syrian territory at any time. The Israeli Defense Forces' 98th Division is being moved from Gaza to the Syrian border, and the Israeli Defense Forces have mobilized a reserve division. A large number of reserve personnel have received alerts and are preparing to be mobilized for combat. The Israeli Defense Forces' 35th Division will also receive orders to move north from Gaza. So far, the Israeli Air Force has conducted 160 air strikes on Syria within the past 24 hours, including those targeting HTS forces loyal to Joulani. The mayor of Busra County in Daraa Province, Khalid Zayabi, died in an Israeli air strike. Colonel Muammar Ibrahim, commander of the artillery regiment of the Daraa Division and the 40th Division of the Syrian New Army, was killed after being precisely targeted by a missile fired by an Israeli armed drone. Colonel Muammar Ibrahim, who was the commander of the artillery regiment of the Daraa Division and the 40th Division of the Syrian New Army, defected from the former Syrian government forces at the beginning of the Syrian war. This is the first confirmed information that an HTS general was killed by the Israeli military. The massive Israeli bombing and air strikes have resulted in the deaths of three officials from the Syrian new Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of the Interior in the Mjamel Road area of Suwaida Province.
Currently, it seems that the Israeli Defense Forces aim to control the areas of the Druze militias. Originally, the Syrian authorities were ready to negotiate and acknowledge Israel's occupation of the Golan Heights in exchange for normalization of Syrian-Israeli relations. However, Israel apparently reneged, refusing to accept only the Golan Heights and demanding that several areas near the Golan Heights, especially those controlled by the Druze people, should be autonomous and serve as a buffer zone for the Israeli Defense Forces. This actually follows the plan for Druze independence. Then, Joulani ordered the Syrian New Army and HTS forces to launch an attack. As a result, because the Syrian New Army, HTS forces, and foreign mercenaries suddenly attacked an Israeli ally, the Israeli Defense Forces bombed the HTS forces again. The United States and Western countries have canceled sanctions against Syria, allowing Syria to achieve energy exports and purchase urgently needed supplies on the international market. Syrians abroad can also remit money back home, so it is not difficult for Syrians to eat enough.
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1837831934200836/
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