play_arrow

keyboard_arrow_right

Listeners:

Top listeners:

skip_previous skip_next
00:00 00:00
playlist_play chevron_left
volume_up
  • cover play_arrow

Israel Strikes Near Damascus, Syrian State Media Claims

Background

by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – Explosions occurred near Damascus at a prominent Shiite sanctuary guarded by Iranian-backed groups, including Hezbollah, with Syrian state media attributing the strikes to Israel.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based war monitor, reported at least three strikes in the Sayyeda Zeinab area located 6 miles south of Damascus, targeting a house “used by members of Hezbollah and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard” located on a farm.

“At approximately 5:18 pm (14:15 GMT), the Israeli enemy launched an air aggression from the direction of the occupied Golan Heights, targeting a number of civilian sites south of Damascus, which led to some material losses,” the official Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) news agency reported, offering no further details. Syrian radio added that three sites were targeted in the attack.

Israeli authorities rarely comment on the strikes within Syria, but have consistently stated they will not permit arch-enemy Iran to expand its presence in Syria.

Sayyeda Zeinab holds significance due to a shrine believed by Twelver Shī‘a Muslims to be the true burial site of Zaynab, a granddaughter of Muhammad, the founder of Islam.

Sayyidah Zaynab is a major pilgrimage site for Shī‘a Muslims and a significant center of Shī‘i learning. During the Iran–Iraq War in the 1980s and the 1990s, pilgrimage to Sayyidah Zaynab increased as access to Iraqi Shī‘a shrines was limited. By 2011, around 1 million visitors traveled annually to the town, many seeking healing at the shrine.

Twelver Shīʿism, the largest branch of Shīʿa Islam, makes up about 85% of Shīʿas. “Twelver” signifies belief in twelve divinely appointed leaders, the Twelve Imams, with the last, Imam al-Mahdi, expected to return as the Mahdi. Twelvers see the Imams as Muhammad’s spiritual and political successors, guiding with justice and interpreting Islamic law and the Qur’an’s inner meanings. They are viewed as infallible (Ismah) and divinely chosen (nass). Iran is the only country where Twelver Shi’ism is the state religion.

The Twelvers’ believe that the Mahdi is expected to appear in times of extreme chaos, returning alongside Jesus as a messiah to bring peace and establish Islam globally.

Twelver beliefs, Iran’s nuclear ambitions, and threats toward Israel and the West have raised concerns. Critics suggest that Iran’s Supreme Leader might incite conflict to hasten the 12th Imam’s arrival. Former Iranian President Ahmadinejad has even called for the Imam’s return at the UN, asserting that the Islamic Revolution’s primary goal is to prepare for his reappearance.

Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.


Latest News from Worthy News

Blind Christian Acquitted In Pakistan Blasphemy Case
Blind Christian Acquitted In Pakistan Blasphemy Case
Monday, June 22, 2026

In a “significant judgment welcomed by Pakistan’s Christian community and human rights advocates,” a court in Pakistan acquitted a blind Christian man who potentially faced the death penalty for blasphemy against Islam, a Christian advocate told Worthy News.

Israeli, Lebanese Delegations Head to Washington for Hezbollah Disarmament Talks
Israeli, Lebanese Delegations Head to Washington for Hezbollah Disarmament Talks
Monday, June 22, 2026

Israeli and Lebanese delegations are set to meet in Washington on Tuesday for three days of talks focused on the disarmament of Hezbollah in southern Lebanon and the possibility of future normalization between the two neighboring countries.

Trump Says Iran Agreed to Weapons Inspections as Tehran Denies New Nuclear Commitments
Trump Says Iran Agreed to Weapons Inspections as Tehran Denies New Nuclear Commitments
Monday, June 22, 2026

President Donald Trump said Monday that Iran will face “major weapons inspections” under a developing peace framework with the United States, even as Tehran publicly denied making any new nuclear commitments during high-level talks in Switzerland.

Trump Orders Federal Push To Build Powerful Quantum Computer, Harden U.S. Cyber Defenses
Trump Orders Federal Push To Build Powerful Quantum Computer, Harden U.S. Cyber Defenses
Monday, June 22, 2026

President Donald Trump on Monday signed two executive orders aimed at accelerating America’s lead in quantum computing while preparing federal systems for the next generation of cyber threats.

DOJ Opens Civil Rights Inquiry Into MLB After Giants Players Warned Over Bible Verses on Pride Night Caps
DOJ Opens Civil Rights Inquiry Into MLB After Giants Players Warned Over Bible Verses on Pride Night Caps
Monday, June 22, 2026

The U.S. Department of Justice has opened a civil rights inquiry into Major League Baseball after several San Francisco Giants players were reportedly warned for writing Bible verses on their caps during the team’s Pride Night, raising fresh concerns about religious freedom in professional sports.

Iran Steps Up Hangings of Dissidents as Regime Seeks to Tighten Its Grip
Iran Steps Up Hangings of Dissidents as Regime Seeks to Tighten Its Grip
Monday, June 22, 2026

Iran’s clerical regime has sharply escalated executions of political prisoners, using the gallows to warn a restless population that dissent will not be tolerated, according to reporting by The Wall Street Journal.

Declassified COVID Documents Renew Scrutiny of Fauci, Wuhan Research, and Gain-of-Function Denials
Declassified COVID Documents Renew Scrutiny of Fauci, Wuhan Research, and Gain-of-Function Denials
Monday, June 22, 2026

Newly declassified COVID-19 documents released by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard have revived questions about U.S.-funded coronavirus research in China, Dr. Anthony Fauci’s testimony before Congress, and whether federal officials misled the American people about the origins of the pandemic.

WHO WE ARE

The Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs encapsulate the beauty, wisdom, and eternal truths found in the Bible, creating an immersive experience that resonates with believers and seekers alike.

CONTACT