Russian Foreign Ministry strongly condemned Israeli strikes on Syria's Palmyra

Russia strongly condemns the Israeli strikes on the Syrian city of Palmyra and calls on the parties to the conflict to listen to the voice of reason and not to go beyond the limits of civilized behavior. This was stated by Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on November 22.

The diplomat recalled that as a result of the attack, according to official data, 36 people were killed and more than 50 injured, residential buildings were significantly damaged.

"We strongly condemn this attack <...> This Israeli forceful action on the territory of Syria, as well as all those that preceded it, is a gross violation of the sovereignty of this country and basic norms of international law," Zakharova said in a commentary published on the Foreign Ministry's website.

She added that Moscow urges "all parties involved in the current regional escalation to listen to the voice of reason and not to go beyond civilized behavior."

Thestrike on Palmyra was reported on November 20 - the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) struck residential houses and industrial zones.

Earlier, on November 14, the IDF struck the Mezzeh neighborhood in Damascus. According to the Syrian Defense Ministry, the attack killed 15 people and injured 16. Another strike by the Israeli military hit the al-Quseir neighborhood in Homs province at the same time. The next day Damascus was attacked again by the Israeli Air Force.

The situation in the Middle East escalated on the morning of October 7, 2023, when the Palestinian radical movement Hamas subjected the territory of Israel to a massive rocket attack from the Gaza Strip. On the same day, Israel began retaliatory strikes.