Israel is under fire by Russian officials after a missile attack struck Syria's capital, Damascus, on Sunday, killing at least five people.
The announcement was made by Syria's military, where officials said a building was struck in the central Kafr Sousa neighborhood. The alleged Israeli missile strike fatalities were four civilians and one soldier.
Israeli Missile Strike on Damascus
The densely populated district where the attack occurred is home to a large, heavily guarded security complex. On the other hand, the Israeli military declined to comment regarding the missile strike.
Israel is known to frequently target Syria concerning Iran and Hezbollah militants hiding out in the region. However, officials rarely acknowledge their actions, and the recent attack is made all the more controversial because strikes on residential areas are rare.
The Sunday missile strike was the first after Syria suffered from a 7.8 magnitude earthquake that affected the northwest part of the country 12 days ago. Furthermore, the Kafr Sousa area is where several senior officials and security agencies are located alongside residential buildings, per BBC.
Syrian authorities reported that the strike occurred around 00:22 local time and caused damage to several homes in Damascus neighborhoods and other nearby areas. Syria's defense ministry noted that the projectiles were launched from the Golan Heights, a rocky plateau located southwest of the capital and was annexed in 1981 by Israel.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, based in London, put out an estimate claiming 15 fatalities due to the missile strike. In a statement, the head of the observatory, Rami Abdel Rahman, said it was the deadliest attack by Israel on the Syrian capital.
The recent attack also comes more than a month after an alleged Israeli attack struck Damascus' international airport. The Syrian army said that that incident killed four people, including two soldiers.
Russia Criticizes Israel
On Sunday, Russia's Foreign Ministry condemned Israel's apparent attack on Syria's capital. In a statement, spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that the missile strike was a "flagrant violation" of international law, according to Reuters.
The Russian official said that Moscow urged Israel to stop armed provocations against the Syrian Arab Republic. She added that the former should refrain from steps that have dangerous consequences for the entire region.
In a statement, the Syrian army said that the Israeli missile strike damaged several civilian homes and caused material damage to several neighborhoods in the capital and its vicinity. Video footage of the attack's aftermath was shared on state media, showing a badly damaged 10-story building that was crushed to its lower floors.
In a statement, unnamed Syrian military sources, who noted that they could be identified because they were not authorized to speak publicly, said that stray anti-aircraft rockets were fired from Mount Qasioun to counter the Israel attack that struck several other locations.
A neighborhood resident affected by the missile strike, Mohamad Dulo, said that all of the windows fell into the street. He added that following the initial explosions, residents in the area ran down to the streets as well, said Al Jazeera.
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