Israeli air strikes killed two Iranian-linked fighters in western Syria on Sunday, in Israel's third attack in the country since Thursday.
The early morning strike near the city of Homs followed attacks on Damascus on Thursday and Friday in which two members of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps were killed.
This comes amid heightened tensions, which also saw Israeli forces shoot down a drone that crossed over from Syria on Sunday.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a British-based war monitor, said “two pro-Iran fighters whose nationalities are so far unknown were killed” in the strikes targeting military positions of Syrian government forces and pro-Iran groups.
The monitor, which relies on a network of sources in Syria, said explosions rocked Homs and a fire broke out in a research centre.
“An arms depot belonging to Lebanese Hezbollah forces in the military airport of Dabaa, in the south-western sector of Homs, was destroyed,” Observatory head Rami Abdulrahman told AFP.
He said the two fighters had been killed in strikes on the arms depot.
State news agency Sana, citing a military source, said that “the Israeli enemy carried out an air assault … targeting positions in the city of Homs and its province”.
Sana reported that air defence forces intercepted several missiles but added that five soldiers were also wounded in the attack.
Then, Israel said it destroyed an unidentified drone late on Sunday night that they said crossed into its territory from Syria.
“Helicopters and fighter jets were deployed following an unidentified aircraft that seems to have crossed from the direction of Syria into Israeli territory,” the Israeli army said.
“The aircraft was downed in an open area,” it said. A spokesperson confirmed to AFP it was unmanned.
The incidents came shortly before Syrian state media said a car bombing rocked Damascus.
“An explosive device detonated in a civilian car, setting it alight without causing casualties,” Sana quoted police sources as saying.
The Interior Ministry said “two people were slightly injured” in the incident that targeted a pick-up truck.
It was not immediately clear who was responsible for the attack.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani condemned the Israeli attacks in Syria, saying on Sunday that the “blood of these high-ranking martyrs will not go to waste” and that Tehran “reserves its right to respond … at the appropriate time and place”.
The Israeli strikes were the latest of hundreds it has conducted in Syria since the civil war started in 2011.
Most have targeted Iranian and Hezbollah positions, as well as advanced weapons transfers to Syrian forces.
The Lebanese Hezbollah militia was instrumental in the regime regaining most of Homs from the armed opposition in 2014 and 2015 and has maintained a presence in the area since.
Since an earthquake affected parts of Syria in early February, Israel has been increasingly attacking Iranian-linked targets in the country.
Syria constitutes the longest chunk of a supply route between Tehran and Hezbollah, Iran's most powerful Middle East ally.
On Thursday and Friday, Israeli raids on the outskirts of Damascus killed two members of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Iranian media said.
The Revolutionary Guard said one of its officers in Syria, identified as Milad Haydari, was killed in the Israeli attacks on Friday. Iranian media reported on Sunday the death of a second officer, Meqdad Meqdani.
A month before, Israeli strikes on Damascus and one of its suburbs killed two Syrian officers thought to have close links with the IRGC, according to sources in the regime and the opposition.
“Israel will continue its strikes. It appears to be receiving precise information,” said Syrian political commentator Ayman Abdel Nour Noor.
He said the strikes could help keep the perceived Iranian threat prominent in Israel, in case Israel chooses at some point to attack Iran directly to curb its nuclear programme.
The Israeli strikes came after an exchange of aerial attacks last month between US forces in Syria and pro-Iranian Shiite militias in eastern Syria.
Wael Alwan, director of information at the Jusoor research centre think tank in Istanbul, said the intensified Israel raids could be partly driven by suspicion that Iran has used earthquake aid flights to transfer more military supplies and technology to its militia allies in Syria.
“The recent Iranian provocation against US forces in the east has confused the picture,” Mr Alwan said. “But what is clear is that Israel feels the need to act to counter Iran's moves to strengthen its position in Syria after the earthquake.”
The conflict in Syria broke out in March 2011 following peaceful street demonstrations against five decades of Assad family rule.
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
AUSTRALIA SQUAD
Aaron Finch (captain), Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Glenn Maxwell, Ben McDermott, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Billy Stanlake, Mitchell Starc, Ashton Turner, Andrew Tye, David Warner, Adam Zampa
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Dhadak
Director: Shashank Khaitan
Starring: Janhvi Kapoor, Ishaan Khattar, Ashutosh Rana
Stars: 3
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Strait of Hormuz
Fujairah is a crucial hub for fuel storage and is just outside the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route linking Middle East oil producers to markets in Asia, Europe, North America and beyond.
The strait is 33 km wide at its narrowest point, but the shipping lane is just three km wide in either direction. Almost a fifth of oil consumed across the world passes through the strait.
Iran has repeatedly threatened to close the strait, a move that would risk inviting geopolitical and economic turmoil.
Last month, Iran issued a new warning that it would block the strait, if it was prevented from using the waterway following a US decision to end exemptions from sanctions for major Iranian oil importers.
HOW TO WATCH
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10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
THE SPECS
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Tips for taking the metro
- set out well ahead of time
- make sure you have at least Dh15 on you Nol card, as there could be big queues for top-up machines
- enter the right cabin. The train may be too busy to move between carriages once you're on
- don't carry too much luggage and tuck it under a seat to make room for fellow passengers
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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