For July 16, 2025, Israeli warplanes attack central Damascus. Dem bomb Defence Ministry, areas wey dey near di presidential palace, and military positions for Sweida. At least three people die and plenty others injure.
Israel talk say dem dey protect di Druze community. Di Druze people for Syria, wey dey mostly for Sweida region, don get one kain complex relationship wit di Syrian government, but dem bin dey hope say peace go dey under di new Syrian leadership.
But dis Israeli attack no be new thing. E dey show wetin don dey happen for long time and e dey very dangerous. For decades, Israel don dey act like rogue state, dey kill, attack, and destroy anyhow. Dem don break international law many times, including UN Security Council Resolutions 242 and 2334, wey talk say make dem comot from occupied territories and stop settlement activity. Di way Israel dey ignore dis laws don dey well documented.
Dem don target nuclear scientists for Iran, bomb Syria hundreds of times, start war for Lebanon, and dey maintain one long siege for Gaza wey dey Palestine. All dis dey happen while dem dey collect billions of US military aid and political support. According to Congressional Research Service, di US don give Israel over $174 billion since 1948, including $3.8 billion every year under one 10-year agreement.
Di latest Israeli air strike for Damascus scatter civilian buildings, government infrastructure, and electrical facilities. Plenty residential areas dey affected. Dozens of people injure, and some still dey trapped under di rubble. Even though Israeli officials talk say dem do “precision” attacks, di damage no dey controlled at all.
For Lebanon, Israel don increase di level of military attack, even though ceasefire dey. For di south, dem don destroy houses, hospitals, and schools. Water and electrical networks don spoil. Journalists and medics don die.
Human Rights Watch talk say Israeli strikes don make tens of thousands of civilians run comot from dia homes since late 2023. Israeli leaders don even threaten say dem go send Lebanon “back to di Stone Age,” as Defence Minister Yoav Gallant talk for June 2024.
For April 2024, Israel bomb di Iranian consulate annexe for Damascus, kill 16 people, including senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commanders. Iran respond wit hundreds of missiles and drones, wey cause di most direct fight between di two countries so far.
Just one year later, Israel escalate di matter, launch heavy strikes deep inside Iran, target nuclear facilities, and kill top military leaders. Iran retaliate wit ballistic missiles. Dis no be ordinary back-and-forth fight. Na war wey Israel start, call am self-defence, and di world leaders wey dey talk about international law no talk anything.
For Gaza, since October 2023, almost 58,500 Palestinians don die, according to Gaza Health Ministry. Most of dem na civilians, and tens of thousands na children. But di real number fit pass dis one. One study for The Lancet show say trauma-related deaths for Gaza dey 41 percent higher dan wetin dem report, and di number fit reach over 70,000 by October 2024.
UN Special Rapporteurs don call Israel actions “a textbook case of genocide,” because of di way dem dey attack civilians, deny food and medicine, and displace plenty people. Dem don destroy homes, schools, and di environment. Di deliberate destruction of life dey clear.
Even Yemen don enter di matter. Di Houthis, wey dem dey call Ansarallah, don dey attack Israeli-linked ships for Red Sea because of wetin Israel dey do for Gaza. Israel respond wit strikes inside Yemeni territory, and dia allies join di fight. Another sovereign state don enter di wahala wey Israel dey create.
Di pattern clear. Anytime peace wan show, Israel go escalate di matter. Anytime resistance wan organise, dem go crush am. Anytime international pressure dey build, dem go open new front. Dis no be defence; na strategy to make sure say dem remain di only strong military power for di region.
Di reason why dem fit dey do all dis na because dem dey get away wit am. While other countries dey face sanctions or isolation for small things, Israel dey collect $3.8 billion every year from US military aid. Di US don use over 45 vetoes for UN Security Council to protect Israel from investigations and condemnations.
Di air strike wey Israel do for Syria on July 16 no be isolated act. E dey part of di long history of destruction wey don dey bring di Middle East to di edge many times. Wetin di region need no be more weapons for Israel hand. Wetin di world need no be more talk about democracy. Wetin everybody need na justice.
