Israeli strikes in Syria kill four during clashes

An Israeli strike in southwestern Syria on Tuesday resulted in the deaths of at least four people. This incident occurred amid clashes between Israeli troops and local residents in the village of Koayiah. According to Syrian state media, several people were also injured, including a woman. The death toll was reported to be higher by a war monitoring group, which stated that seven people had died. Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee said the troops returned fire after being attacked by gunmen. They then carried out a drone strike and used tanks to fire rounds into the area. Tensions have risen in this region since Israel took control of a buffer zone in Syria, a move aimed at preventing threats from the Syrian military and protecting the Druze minority present in both countries. In a separate development, an investigative committee is looking into recent violent clashes in Syria's coastal region that resulted in many civilian deaths. The spokesperson for the committee mentioned that they have gathered testimonies but some witnesses feel unsafe to come forward. The clashes began after pro-government forces attacked a security patrol in the city of Lattakia, leading to revenge attacks against the Alawite community. Additionally, Syrian state media reported that internet access was disrupted across much of the country due to the sabotage of two internet cables, leaving many without online connectivity for up to 12 hours.