Nine Civilians Killed and 15 Injured in Daraa, While Military Infrastructure Heavily Destroyed in Hama Over April 2-3, 2025
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The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) has documented a large-scale escalation in military attacks carried out by Israeli occupation forces on Syrian territory over April 2-3, 2025. These attacks included airstrikes, artillery shelling, and ground incursions targeting various areas across the governorates of Daraa, Quneitra, Damascus, Rural Damascus, Homs, and Hama.
These operations resulted in the killing of nine civilians, all of whom were from Nawa city in western rural Daraa, while 15 others were injured to varying degrees. In addition, the attacks caused extensive destruction to military facilities, most notably Hama Military Airport, which was targeted in a series of heavy airstrikes. These attacks constitute a grave violation of international humanitarian law, specifically the principles of distinction and proportionality, and represent an assault on Syria’s sovereignty and a direct threat to the protection of civilians in southern Syria.
Nine civilians killed and others injured in an attack near Nawa city, Daraa governorate – April 3, 2025
At approximately 02:15 on Thursday, April 3, 2025, Israeli occupation forces’ drones targeted a gathering of civilians armed with light weapons in the Jubailiyah Dam grove, located in western Nawa city in western rural Daraa. The attack resulted in the killing of nine civilians, all from the city, and the injury of 15 others.
According to reliable field sources obtained by SNHR, the aerial attack came after a ground incursion carried out by Israeli occupation forces late on the evening of Wednesday, April 2, using several military vehicles that advanced toward the Jubailiyah area. This prompted dozens of local residents to mobilize with light weapons in an attempt to repel the incursion. As dozens of these residents gathered in the Jubailiyah Dam grove, Israeli occupation forces withdrew toward the nearby village of Al-Bakkar. Following their withdrawal, drones launched an airstrike on the gathering site, leading to casualties. The attack was carried out without any prior warning and at a time when the gathering was in an open area, which contributed to the high number of victims.
Israeli occupation air and artillery strikes targeting military sites in several Syrian governorates over April 2-3, 2025
SNHR has documented dozens of airstrikes conducted by Israeli occupation forces over April 2-3, 2025, targeting military sites and positions in the governorates of Damascus, Rural Damascus, Homs, Hama, and Daraa, including locations that had been vacated from military presence since the Assad regime on December 8, 2024.
There was also artillery fire from Israeli positions targeting various military sites across Daraa governorate. Preliminary indications suggest that most of the targeted sites were not militarily active nor posed a direct threat to Israel, reinforcing the hypothesis that Israel aimed at dismantling an abandoned military infrastructure as part of a strategy of intimidation and show of force.
Hama Military Airport: extensive destruction of the airport’s military infrastructure – April 2, 2025
At approximately 21:18 on Wednesday, April 2, 2025, Israeli occupation fixed-wing warplanes launched a series of 18 airstrikes targeting the northwestern outskirts of the city of Hama. Sixteen of these strikes focused on Hama Military Airport, while the remaining two targeted Brigade 99, stationed southwest of the airport.
According to field information documented by SNHR, high-explosive missiles were used in the attacks, which continued for over an hour and concluded around 22:37 local time. The strikes targeted critical facilities within the airport, including fuel and ammunition depots, aircraft runways, and shelters for fighter jets and helicopters, resulting in the destruction of no fewer than 10 aircraft, in addition to the destruction of a radar system and a missile defense system.
The nature of the targets points to a clear intent to systematically dismantle military infrastructure, with no consideration for the repercussions this would have on Syria’s security situation.
Condemnation and legal description
SNHR strongly condemns the brutal killings and the intense attacks carried out by Israeli occupation forces, which constitute a blatant violation of international humanitarian law, especially the right to life, which prohibits all forms of extrajudicial, summary, or arbitrary killings. International law obliges all parties to the conflict to take all feasible precautions to protect civilians, a responsibility neglected by Israeli occupation forces, as no prior warning was given before these attacks, contributing to widespread fear among civilians.
These operations and military attacks are part of a systematic policy aimed at terrorizing the local population and imposing a new security reality, which is in violation of the principles of international law. They also constitute a blatant violation of the sovereignty of the Syrian Arab Republic and a breach of Article 2(4) of the United Nations Charter, which prohibits the use of force against the territorial integrity of any member state. In addition, Article 51 of the United Nations Charter permits the use of force only in cases of self-defense, which has not been established in these attacks.
SNHR must stress that the continuation of these attacks represents a flagrant violation of the 1949 Geneva Conventions and the Disengagement Agreement signed between Syria and Israel in 1974, which obligates all parties to protect civilians and ensure their safety. Furthermore, the political changes that have taken place in Syria since December 2024 no longer justify the continued Israeli military attacks, which result in the terrorization of civilians and the destabilization of Syria, particularly in the southern regions of the country.
SNHR calls on the international community to take immediate action to stop these repeated violations, ensure respect for international humanitarian law, and protect civilians in Syria. SNHR also urges the UN, the Human Rights Council, and the relevant international bodies to open an independent investigation into the attack and hold those responsible for these violations accountable before international justice, in a way that guarantees that the perpetrators do not escape punishment.
[1] Al-Bakkar village, which is also part of Daraa governorate, is approximately two kilometers from al-Jubailiyah area.
