TEL AVIV — A “violent explosion” was heard in the southern section of Aleppo province in Syria in an area where Iranian forces were present, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on Saturday.
The monitor, which is routinely cited by the news media, reported:
A violent explosion shook the southern sector of Aleppo, and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights learned that the explosion took place in an area where Iranian Forces were present along with the Afghani Brigade of Fatimiyyoun.
The organization said it did not known the cause of the reported explosion, including “whether it was caused by an explosion in depots of these forces, or if it was caused by an aerial targeting by warplanes for positions of the Iranian Forces and Fatimiyyoun Brigade.” The monitor had no immediate information about casualties.
The Daily Mail further reported on possible Iranian military casualties:
Witnesses are said to have reported loud explosions, flames and casualties – with Iranian soldiers included among them.
The newspaper reported on unsubstantiated Arab media claims that Israeli jets carried out a raid in Aleppo.
The Israeli media here, largely citing Arab media outlets, published numerous reports of the purported explosion in Aleppo.
Haaretz cited Iranian reports about an explosion at a weapons depot:
An explosion occurred on Saturday night at a weapons depot in the Syrian city of Aleppo, Iranian media outlets reported. Al-Arabiya reported that the facility was used by Hezbollah and pro-Iranian militias.
Hezbollah-affiliated media outlets said the reports referred to a controlled explosion.
Ynetnews cited Arab media reports about Iranian casualties in the reported explosion:
Arabic-language media outlet reported Saturday evening that an explosion took place in one of the large storehouses used by Iranian forces in Syria—one located in Jabel Azzan in the southern suburbs of the Aleppo district. Several people were reported wounded and killed, including Iranian officers.
It was further reported by “field activists” that the blast was the result of a fighter jet’s attack or missiles launched at the base.
The Times of Israel further cited Arab-language media describing the site of the alleged explosion as a weapons depot in Mount Azzan near Aleppo used by Iranian militias, including the Iran-backed Hezbollah terrorist group:
A large-scale explosion was reported late Saturday at an Iranian weapons depot in Syria, according to Arabic-language media.
The depot, said to be one of the biggest in the country, is located in Mount Azzan near Aleppo and was reportedly being used by Iran’s Lebanese proxy Hezbollah and other Iranian militias in Syria.
The newspaper quoted the al-Mayadeen news service in Lebanon as reporting that Hezbollah denied there was any military strike at the facility. Hezbollah said there were controlled explosions near the site earlier in the day, al-Mayadeen reported.
A spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces did not immediately return a Breitbart News request for comment. Israel has a longstanding policy of refusing to comment on alleged military actions beyond the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Airstrikes on the T-4 military airbase in central Syria this past Monday have been widely attributed to Israel, with U.S. officials confirming the Jewish state carried out the hits and informed Washington in advance.
The decision to target the T-4 base is instructive. Reports in Israel revealed the establishment housed an Iran-run drone base. On Friday, the IDF revealed that an analysis concluded the Iranian unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) sent into Israeli territory in February before it was quickly shot down by the Israeli military was carrying explosives and was seemingly deployed to attack.
On Friday night, U.S.-led allied strikes reportedly targeted facilities related to the production of chemical weapons in Syria. This after Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime was accused of carrying out a deadly chemical weapons attack on urban areas in Douma April 7.
Aaron Klein is Breitbart’s Jerusalem bureau chief and senior investigative reporter. He is a New York Times bestselling author and hosts the popular weekend talk radio program, “Aaron Klein Investigative Radio.” Follow him on Twitter @AaronKleinShow. Follow him on Facebook.
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