Rear Admiral Oleg Gurinov, who serves as the deputy head of Russia’s Center for Reconciliation of the Warring Parties in Syria, reported that two Israeli Air Force F-16 fighters conducted missile strikes from northern Lebanon targeting Syrian territories. The information was conveyed through TASS and later corroborated by official channels in Damascus.
Gurinov detailed that on March 12, between 07:14 and 07:23 local time, two Israeli F-16 aircraft stationed in northern Lebanon launched missiles toward Syrian settlements. He specified that the attack damaged facilities belonging to research centers in the towns of Masyaf and Safsafa, affecting multiple buildings and disrupting local activities tied to scientific research in those areas.
According to Syrian authorities, the assault resulted in fatalities counted at three individuals. Reports from Damascus also indicated that several others were injured, with initial claims noting casualties among civilians and possibly noncombatant workers within the affected zones.
Earlier assessments noted casualties among Syrian security personnel as well, with initial statements describing injuries to soldiers following the airstrike operations in the central and coastal provinces of Hama and Tartus. The ongoing situation prompted immediate statements from the Syrian Ministry of Defense and allied agencies about the security implications and ongoing investigation into the incident.
In a separate development, the Syrian Ministry of Defense had previously announced that Aleppo International Airport faced a suspension of operations due to a strike attributed to Israeli forces. The ministry detailed that the attack occurred on March 7 at 02:07, using the Mediterranean as a launch point to strike areas west of Latakia, resulting in an interruption of flight schedules and airport activities while security assessments proceeded.