Syria’s defense minister and deputy defense minister, with the latter being President Bashar al-Assad’s brother-in-law were among the dead in today’s bombing attack in Damascus. According to Syrian state TV, the attack occurred in a security headquarters in the capital.

Daoud Rajiha and Assef Shawkat were attending a meeting of senior officials at the time. There are conflicting reports regarding the condition of the national security chief and the minister of the interior, some reporting that too were killed while other reports signal that they remain in critical condition.

There are reports from Damascus of additional explosions at about 15:30 Israel Time. Israeli media reports state that Syria’s Information Ministry is pointing a finger of blame at the United States and Israel for the deadly bomb attack that claimed the lives of senior government officials.

There are conflicting reports regarding the attack which appears to have either been a car bomb or suicide bomber. The attack came amid a day of heavy fighting between rebel and government forces, with foreign media reports signaling at least 15 people were killed prior to the bomb attack.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)