Israel carried out a wave of heavy airstrikes throughout Syria as its troops superior deeper into the nation, drawing to inside 25 kilometers (15 miles) of the capital, a Syrian opposition conflict monitor mentioned Tuesday.

Related Press reporters in Damascus heard heavy airstrikes in a single day and into Tuesday on the town and its suburbs. Images circulating on-line confirmed destroyed missile launchers, helicopters and warplanes.

There was no quick remark from the rebel teams — led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS – which have taken management of Damascus.

Israel had earlier seized a roughly 400-square-kilometer (155-square-mile) buffer zone inside Syria that had been established after the 1973 Mideast conflict, a transfer it mentioned was taken to stop assaults within the aftermath of the overthrow of President Bashar Assad.

Israel has additionally mentioned it’s placing suspected chemical weapons websites and heavy weapons to stop them from falling into the arms of extremists. Israeli officers hardly ever acknowledge particular person strikes.

Israel has a protracted historical past of seizing territory throughout wars with its neighbors and occupying it indefinitely, citing safety considerations. Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria within the 1967 Mideast conflict and annexed it in a transfer not acknowledged internationally, besides by the US.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which has carefully tracked the battle because the civil conflict erupted practically 14 years in the past, mentioned Israel has carried out greater than 300 airstrikes throughout the nation since rebels overthrew Assad over the weekend, ending his household’s half-century rule.

The Observatory, and Beirut-based Mayadeen TV, which has reporters in Syria, mentioned Israeli troops are advancing up the Syrian facet of the border with Lebanon. It was not doable to independently verify the experiences.

An Israeli army official mentioned troops plan to grab a buffer zone inside Syria in addition to “just a few extra factors which have strategic that means,” with out elaborating. The official, talking on situation of anonymity in step with laws, dismissed experiences of a bigger Israeli invasion as “rumors.”

Egypt and Saudi Arabia have condemned Israel’s incursion, accusing it of exploiting the disarray in Syria and violating worldwide legislation.

“The assaults carried out by the Israeli occupation authorities, together with the seizure of the buffer zone within the Golan Heights, and the concentrating on of Syrian territory verify Israel’s continued violation of the ideas of worldwide legislation and its willpower to sabotage Syria’s probabilities of restoring its safety, stability and territorial integrity,” the Saudi Overseas Ministry mentioned in an announcement Tuesday.

Saudi Arabia has been in talks with the US lately over normalizing relations with Israel in trade for a U.S. protection pact, American help in establishing a civilian nuclear program and a pathway to the institution of a Palestinian state.

However the kingdom has additionally repeatedly condemned Israel’s actions within the Gaza Strip, the place it’s at conflict with the Hamas militant group. Final month, Saudi Arabia’s crown prince and day-to-day ruler Mohammed bin Salman accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, allegations Israel adamantly rejects.

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Mroue reported from Beirut and Lidman from Tel Aviv, Israel.

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Observe the AP‘s Syria protection at https://apnews.com/hub/syria