Early Monday morning, Israeli aircraft targeted Iranian militia near Damascus, Syria; Bennett: Keep your ears open. We’ve gone from a policy of blocking Iran to pushing it out.

Reports of an Israeli strike from Lebanese airspace surfaced throughout the day on Monday after the Israeli Air Force targeted Iranian militia near Damascus, Syria, early on Monday morning. Syria state media claims that several Israeli missiles were intercepted by Syrian air defense systems.

While it is the custom of Israeli military personnel to refrain from commenting on attacks such as this, the strike not only follows the pattern of previous Israeli military action in Syria, but it came just days after Defense Minister Naftali Bennett stated, “Keep your ears open. We’ve gone from a policy of blocking Iran to pushing it out.”

This is said to be the third Israeli strike in Syria in less than two weeks. While initial reports claimed there were no casualties, sources are now saying that four Iranian militia were killed. Sadly, at least three civilians were killed from the shrapnel of either Israeli or Syrian missiles after the Syrian air defense systems intercepted some of the incoming projectiles.

Bennett would further add, “For Iran, Syria is an adventure far from home: 1,000 km from home, from the Golan Heights. For us, it’s life. Iranian soldiers who come to Syria and operate within Syria: Their blood is on their heads. They are risking their lives and paying with their lives. We will not allow the establishment of an advanced Iranian base in Syria.”