The 2026 strikes on Syria occurred within the broader context of the 2026 Iran war, a regional conflict involving Israel and the United States on one side, and Iran on the other, as well as allied non-state actors from both sides. During the war, Syria remained neutral, but suffered material damage after Iranian missiles were intercepted by Israel and several groups claimed responsibility for attacks in the region. The first strike hitting Syrian territory seemed to have been directed towards Turkey and was promptly shot down by NATO forces, however, following strikes directly aimed against Syrian army positions and strategic locations within Syria proper, especially from Hezbollah and as a consequence of the 2026 Lebanon war.
For decades prior, Syria, at the time known as Ba'athist Syria, had been IranâÂÂs closest Arab ally and a central component of the "Axis of Resistance", a coalition of non-state actors (and state actors, at the time) who are affiliated with Iran. The alliance arguably dated back to 1979 when the Syrian government at the time was the first to recognize the newly established Islamic Republic and later supported it during the Iran-Iraq War.
Most recently, Iranian forces, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), were deeply embedded in Syria during the Syrian civil war. This involvement dates back at least as early as in 2013, when Iranian and Hezbollah backing allowed the Syrians to regain control over the strategic Al-Qusayr District. Syria also helped Iran smuggle weapons to its proxies, most notably Hezbollah. This military absence was apparent when during the Twelve Days War, Syria was not used as a launchpad for Iranian counter offensive strikes against Israel.
However, following the fall of the Assad regime, the new government adopted policies aimed at reasserting sovereignty and limiting foreign military influence (including Iranian ones), thus requiring foreign armed groups to either integrate into state structures or leave the country. This was also followed by increased relations with the West and straining relations with Iran and its allies, especially Hezbollah. Thus, following the fall of Bashar al-Assad relations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the new Syrian government remained frozen.
Despite tension with Iran, however, Syria remained neutral. This neutrality however was not absolute as the Syrian government supported its Arab neighbors following Iranian strikes and also reinforced the border in coordination with Iraq and later on with Lebanon, mobilizing its army to defend itself from possible threats.
On 28 February 2026, various news outlets, including Ynet, Reuters and Anadolu Agency, had reported that an Iranian missile had struck the city of Suwayda, however, the explosion was later attributed to an attempt by the National Guard militia to dismantle a missile from the old regime by the Syrian Arab News Agency.
Several Iranian missiles were intercepted by Israel, falling in southern Syria, an Iranian ballistic missile debris fell on a residential building in Suwayda, killing at least four civilians, however, the explosion was later attributed to an attempt by the National Guard to dismantle a missile from the Ba'athist Syria according to the Syrian Arab News Agency. Other missile fragments fell in the city of Quneitra and in the Yarmouk Basin.
A jihadist group called "Hayat Ansar al-Tawhid al-Islamiyah" claimed responsibility for an attack with 8 Grad rockets launched from Daraa on the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. Four people were injured after a missile fragment fell in Ein Tarma.
The group "Ajnad Bayt al-Maqdis" claimed responsibility for an attack on a base in al-Shaddadi with two 107mm Katyusha rockets, the group formerly declared loyalty to Al-Qaeda, the group stated that the action was carried out "in response to the recent Zio-Crusader campaign led by the criminal Trump and the child-killer Netanyahu against the Islamic Ummah", Ajnad Bayt al-Maqdis declared having activity in Iraq and Syria. An intercepted missile fell in Al-Fatih, Jableh countryside.
A missile heading towards Turkey was intercepted by NATO nearby Kurdish-controlled Qamishli International Airport, leading to the missile to land in an empty field where curious locals gathered around the missile, the missile failed to explode. Israel carried out an incursion into southern Syria, shelling the area between Jamla and Saisoun in Daraa Governorate, and arrested four civilians. Israel accused Syria of deploying combat units to the Syrian Golan Heights, stating it will not allow the HezbollahâÂÂIsrael strikes to be used as a pretext to "harm the Druze" in southern Syria and demanded the Syrian government prevent Iraqi militias from crossing Syrian territory towards the Golan Heights.
A Syrian pro-Iranian group called Kataib Jund al-Karrar, claimed attacks in Palmyra, attacks against Israeli targets in the Golan Heights, and an attack in the Tower 22, a military base in Jordan.
Following the Syrian presidency's support for the disarmament of Hezbollah and a campaign of mobilization by the Syrian army on the Lebanese border, shells from Lebanon landed in the town of Serghaya, from Damascus where the Syrian Armed Forces forces presided. The Syrian government accused Hezbollah of targeting its positions there, amid what they said was a buildup of Hezbollah forces along the border.
The Syrian forces removed mines along the border with Lebanon in the Wadi Khaled area, in anticipation of a possible clashes with Hezbollah.
Rockets were launched from Syria towards Israel and IDF positions in the Syrian Golan Heights; the missiles landed in open areas, without resulting in damage.
Israel bombed southern Syria, saying the strikes were in response to "reports of attacks against Druze civilians" in Suwayda Governorate. The airstrikes also hit several Syrian government positions in Izraa in Daraa Governorate, including command and control centres, supply depots, and facilities held by the 40th Battalion of the Syrian Army, in retaliation to the escalation of hostilities.
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed responsibility for an attack on the Kharab al-Jir base in Hasakah; according to local sources, the drones were launched from Iraqi territory and belonged to pro-Iranian militias, at least six drones attacked the base, and the extent of the damage is unknown, the missiles were launched from Tal Al-Hawa, and Syrian forces are coordinating with Iraqi police to arrest those involved, according to Wael Alwan, it was in response to the arrest of a Popular Mobilization Forces cell by Syrian security forces in Deir ez-Zor. During the same day 30 Israeli soldiers carried out incursions in Samdaniyah al-Sharqiyah and advanced toward the Ruwaihina Dam in the northern countryside of Quneitra province.
Missiles originating from Iraq were intercepted over the Al-Tanf base, according to the Syrian Army's Directorate of Operations. Kataib Jund al-Karrar claimed an attack towards the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
Four missiles launched from Iraq, fell at the US base of Qasrok, the vice president of the Syrian Ministry of Defense, Sipan Hamo, stated: "We urge Iraq to prevent a recurrence of these attacks, which threaten regional stability". Syrian forces were the ones that intercepted the missiles. The Israeli army led an incursion into Lebanon from the Syrian side of Jabal al-Sheikh, towards the Mount Dov area, in southern Lebanon.
Kataib Jund al-Karrar claimed an attack on Palmyra Airport, with a barrage of missiles that achieved a direct hit, against the US presence in Syria, also claimed responsibility for a drone attack on the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan.
Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey encouraged Syria to maintain its neutral stance. These countries also intervened with the United States to ease pressure on Syrian president Ahmed al-Sharaa, who has made it clear that he does not wish to become involved in Lebanon.
Syrian assistant defense minister Sîpan Hemo condemned at attack on the US base in Qasrok.
On February 28, Israel suspended natural gas exports to Egypt, prompting Egypt to reduce its exports to Syria via Jordan. According to Safwan Ahmad, the large-scale smuggling of gas cylinders from Syria into Lebanon was one of the factors contributing to the shortage.
According to the UN refugee agency the total population of Syrian refugees in the entirety of Lebanon was 1.4 million people in March 2026.
Due to the 2026 Lebanon war thousands of individuals of Syrian heritage remigrated back in Syria, especially by using the Joussieh border crossing. A report dated 13 March 2026 by Intersos reported that other local agencies had recorded back on 10 March 2026 that 85,000âÂÂ90,000 people had crossed the main legal border crossings from Lebanon to Syria. The demographic of these refugees was composed by 93% of Syrian returnees and 7% by Lebanese citizens. By 18 March 2026, only counting the Syrians, 119,000 people had crossed the border from Lebanon into Syria according to UN agency's Displacement Tracking Matrix. The people that had crossed the border in total by then were 125,000 people.
On 27 March 2026, Iran threatened to strike three sites which allegedly "hosted" or "supported" U.S. units in the region, such as the Four Seasons Hotel, the Sheraton Damascus Hotel and the People's Palace.
Syria was pressured to militarily intervene in Lebanon by the United States by sending its troops and striking positions in Lebanon alongside the IDF in order to further weaken Hezbollah, however the Syrian government refused the offer on the same day Israel Katz declared a ground invasion of southern Lebanon. Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey discouraged a confrontation between Syria and Hezbollah. Syrian Foreign Affairs Minister Asaad al-Shaibani stated that Syria had no intentions to intervene directly in Lebanon.