Overnight strikes targeted former army positions, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitor. Israel has said it aims to keep military equipment away from extremists.

Israel is systematically conducting further attacks on military facilities in Syria. During the night of December 15 to 16, the targets were facilities in the Tartus region, in western Syria, where Russia has its military base.

Sham, which overthrew the regime of leader Bashar al-Assad, criticized Israel’s strikes on targets within Syria. He believes such actions by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) risk serious escalation in the region,

The Israeli government decided on Sunday to double its population on the occupied Golan Heights while saying threats from Syria remained despite the moderate tone of rebel leaders who ousted President Bashar al-Assad.