Drone attack kills Iraqi Hezbollah commander near Damascus, Syrian Observatory says

Shafaq News/ A commander in the Iraqi Hezbollah Brigades (Kataeb Hezbollah) was killed and his escort wounded in a drone attack early Thursday morning near Damascus International Airport, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported.

The drone, believed to be Israeli, targeted the commander’s vehicle on a road leading to the airport.

"The car was seen catching fire around 5:00 a.m. local time, with ambulances rushing to the scene near the Sayeda Zeinab area," SOHR said. The commander, whose identity has not been disclosed, reportedly maintained military headquarters and a rest house in the area.

SOHR noted that no loud explosions typical of Israeli airstrikes were heard in the vicinity, suggesting the drone attack was carried out with a precision-guided missile.

Kataeb Hezbollah did not confirm the incident.

The area where the attack took place hosts several military positions affiliated with Iraqi, Lebanese, Syrian, and Iranian-backed forces. The Sayeda Zeinab district, in particular, where a Shia pilgrimage site is located, has long been a stronghold for Hezbollah and other Iran-backed forces supporting the Syrian government.

Israel frequently targets Iranian-backed forces in Syria, viewing their presence as a direct threat to its security. In recent years, these strikes have primarily targeted arms shipments and military installations linked to Iranian forces and their proxies.

Israeli officials rarely confirm individual strikes but have acknowledged a broader campaign to prevent the entrenchment of Iranian forces near their northern border.

Kataeb Hezbollah, an Iranian-aligned armed group operating under the umbrella of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) and the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, has been actively involved in the Syrian conflict. Alongside other Shia militias, it has provided significant support to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces, particularly in critical battles around Damascus and southern Syria.

The group, which is designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, has also been linked to rocket attacks targeting US and coalition forces in Iraq to expel foreign forces from the country and in solidarity with the resistance and people in Gaza.