Israeli attack on Syria’s Palmyra kills 36 people, Syrian state media says

DUBAI – An Israeli attack on Syria’s historic city of Palmyra killed 36 people and wounded more than 50 on Nov 20 after it hit residential buildings and an industrial zone, the Syrian state news agency Sana reported.

The Israeli military declined to comment when asked about an earlier Sana report which did not refer to mass casualties.

Israel has been carrying out strikes against Iran-linked targets in Syria for years but has ramped up such raids since the Oct 7, 2023, attack by Palestinian militant group Hamas on Israel that sparked the Gaza war.

The Israeli military said last week it had attacked transit routes on the Syrian-Lebanese border that were used to transfer weapons to Hezbollah.

Palmyra’s ancient city is a Unesco World Heritage site. It was seized by Islamic State militants in 2015 and partially destroyed before it was recaptured by the Syrian army. REUTERS