Explosions rock Damascus, cause unknown

Explosions were heard near Damascus early on Sunday morning, according to the Syrian state media outlet SANA. The report added that the cause of the explosions was being verified.

While state media has not attributed the explosions to alleged Israeli airstrikes, footage shared on social media reportedly from the scene showed explosions and fires erupting in areas northwest of Damascus.

مستخدمو مواقع التواصل يتداولون مقاطع فيديو قالوا إنها لانفجارات ضخمة هزت العاصمة السورية #دمشق#إرم_نيوز #سوريا pic.twitter.com/292G8SqRkx

— Erem News - إرم نيوز (@EremNews) August 13, 2023

The Syrian Capital Voice news site reported that military warehouses near Qudsaya and Dummar, northwest of Damascus, had been hit by explosions and that fires had erupted at the scene. The site cited unnamed sources as stating that the explosions occurred in warehouses belonging to the Fourth Division of the Syrian military due to a "malfunction," adding that no Israeli airstrikes had taken place in Syria overnight. The site's correspondents confirmed that, contrary to some circulating reports, no air defenses were activated overnight.

As of Sunday afternoon, Syrian state media still had not commented on the nature of the explosions near the country's capital.

August strikes on Syria

Four Syrian soldiers were killed and four others were wounded in alleged Israeli airstrikes targeting sites near Damascus last week, according to Syrian state media.

A Syrian military source told SANA at the time that the airstrikes were conducted from the direction of the Golan Heights, adding that material damage was also caused by the strikes.