Damascus, Syria - October 01, 2024

Three people were killed and nine others were injured as a result of an Israeli air raid that targeted the Syrian capital Damascus at dawn on Tuesday, according to the Syrian Defense Ministry.

The attack, launched at approximately 02:05 local time, involved Israeli fighter jets and drones striking multiple targets in the city from the direction of the occupied Syrian Golan Heights, the ministry said in a statement.

Local eyewitnesses recounted the horrifying attack, saying they heard powerful explosions in the western Mazzeh neighborhood.

Marwan Mayassa, a mechanic, said that about 50 to 60 cars were damaged because of the airstrike.

Another local resident who identified himself as Maysar said: "We work here as stall owners in the park. I went out and looked at the exploded car which had been hit by a shell with fire burning inside it. The worker who was with me was injured by shrapnel in his stomach, and a child selling biscuits was killed."

The Israeli bombing continued for more than an hour, while Syrian air defenses managed to intercept and down most of the incoming missiles and drones, the Syrian Defense Ministry said.

The attack came as Israel launched a ground operation across its northern border into Lebanon targeting the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah.

Commenting on the current escalating tensions, Al-Hassan said: "In principle, they say that what they are doing now is to prevent Hezbollah (from getting) supplies from Syria, whether by land routes, and you hear that there are cars being targeted on the road, and people (were targeted too). And he (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu) said that he will eliminate Hamas in Gaza, then he will eliminate Hezbollah in Lebanon and then he will move to Syria."

Syrian state TV also reported the death of a journalist, who was killed when shrapnel struck her home in the area. The state TV later identified the journalist killed in the attack as Safaa Ahmad.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based watchdog group, said the attack was an assassination attempt in the Mazzeh area with the target still unknown.

Shotlist:
Damascus, Syria - Oct 1, 2024:
1. Various of local people, damaged vehicles after Israeli airstrike;
2. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Kamal Ali, local resident (partially overlaid with shot 3):
"A missile fell terrifyingly, then another missile fell on the western side of the park, causing injuries and deaths among innocent vendors.";
[SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE]
3. Shrapnel marks on road;
[SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE]
4. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Marwan Mayassa, car mechanic:
"There are about 50 to 60 cars damaged in this area.";
5. Various of traffic, damaged vehicles, charred buildings, broken windows;
6. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Maysar, local resident (partially overlaid with shots 7-8):
"We work here as stall owners in the park. I went out and looked at the exploded car which had been hit by a shell with fire burning inside it. The worker who was with me was injured by shrapnel in his stomach, and a child selling biscuits was killed.";
[SHOTS OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE]
7. Local people, damaged car;
8. Interior of damaged car, broken glasses on seats;
[SHOTS OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE]
9. Various of missile being intercepted in air, smoke rising from neighborhood;
10. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Turki Al-Hassan, Syrian military expert (partially overlaid with shot 11):
"The missiles were fired more than once because the first time the enemy missiles failed, so did the second time. Therefore, they were forced to fire the third time.";
[SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE]
11. Interview in progress;
[SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE]
12. City views at night;
13. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Turki Al-Hassan, Syrian military expert (partially overlaid with shot 14):
"In principle, they say that what they are doing now is to prevent Hezbollah (from getting) supplies from Syria, whether by land routes, and you hear that there are cars being targeted on the road, and people (were targeted too). And he (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu) said that he will eliminate Hamas in Gaza, then he will eliminate Hezbollah in Lebanon and then he will move to Syria.";
[SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE]
14. Reporter;
[SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE]
15. Reporter talking with locals.

[Restriction - No access Chinese mainland/Orient TV/Syria Alshaab TV/Zanoubia TV/Alhurra TV/ANN TV/Al Jazeera/Al-Arabiya TV]