Syria Investigates Israeli Involvement in Military Site Explosions

Syrian authorities are investigating a series of explosions at military sites, most recently at a weapons depot south of Aleppo. Damascus is examining the possibility of Israeli involvement in these incidents, though an Israeli official has denied any connection to the latest blast.

The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation (Kan 11) reported on Monday evening that an Israeli official stated Tel Aviv was not involved in the explosion at the Syrian army's weapons depot in Aleppo. This followed a report by Kan 11, citing a Syrian source close to the authorities, that Israeli involvement was one of the possibilities being investigated.

The Syrian Ministry of Defense's Information and Communication Department confirmed to SANA news agency on Monday that "competent authorities in the Ministry of Defense are following up on the investigation into the causes of explosions that have occurred at some military sites, the latest being an explosion in one of the weapons depots near the town of Al-Eis, south of Aleppo." The ministry emphasized that "protecting military personnel and civilians, uncovering facts, and determining responsibilities are at the forefront of its priorities," and that necessary measures would be taken based on the investigation's findings to ensure safety and prevent recurrence.

The explosion, which occurred Sunday night into Monday, caused secondary explosions and scattered munitions. Syria's Ministry of Emergency and Disaster Management reported four injuries: one civilian from shrapnel, two with temporary breathing difficulties, and a fourth injured in a traffic accident while fleeing the area. Civil defense teams transported the injured, and three families were evacuated from the vicinity. Military police secured the area, and engineering units began work at the site. Security forces closed the Aleppo-Damascus highway and roads leading to the explosion zone. The governor of Aleppo urged residents to stay indoors.

This Al-Eis explosion is the third such incident at Syrian military sites in less than two weeks. Previous explosions on September 18 near Deir Ezzor killed 11 soldiers, and on September 9 in Idlib killed 14 defense ministry personnel. Kan 11 reported that Syrian authorities are examining a potential Israeli link to these incidents, but Damascus has not yet officially accused Israel.

In related regional developments, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stated on Monday that Ankara hopes the U.S. will exert more influence on Israel to end policies detrimental to regional peace and stability. Fidan also expressed Turkey's aim to strengthen Syrian national institutions and preserve the country's territorial integrity, viewing a stable, unified Syria as crucial for regional security.