AFP Asia Business

President Donald Trump said Sunday that US strikes on Iran caused “monumental damage” to its nuclear sites, as Washington joined ally Israel’s bombing campaign.While Washington insists the United States is not seeking to topple the government in the Islamic republic, comments by US President Donald Trump have been more ambivalent.With Iran vowing retaliation and the international community pushing to avert a wider conflagration in the region, here are the latest developments:- ‘Obliteration’ -Trump wrote on social media on Sunday that “Monumental Damage was done to all Nuclear sites in Iran, as shown by satellite images. Obliteration is an accurate term!” He did not share the images he was referencing. The attack targeted Isfahan, Natanz and the underground uranium enrichment facility at Fordo, with Iran’s media reporting that all three sites had been hit.US Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine said seven B-2 stealth bombers had flown 18 hours to drop 14 GBU-57 bunker-buster bombs — a powerful 13,600-kilogram (30,000-pound) weapon.US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the strikes had “devastated the Iranian nuclear programme”, but “did not target Iranian troops or the Iranian people”.Vice President JD Vance said the US air strikes had “set the Iranian nuclear programme back substantially”.- ‘Regime change’ -Trump “seeks peace”, Hegseth said at a press briefing, adding: “This mission was not, and has not, been about regime change.”But Trump himself, in comments later Sunday, mulled the possibility.”It’s not politically correct to use the term, ‘Regime Change,’ but if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn’t there be a Regime change??? MIGA!!!”Iran “must now agree to end this war”, Trump said after the strikes, insisting that under no circumstances should it possess a nuclear weapon.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said “thanks to President Trump, we have moved closer to our goals”.At a UN Security Council emergency meeting Sunday, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned against “descending into a rathole of retaliation after retaliation”.The leaders of France, Germany and Britain called on Iran “not to take any further action that could destabilise the region”.The UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency said it had not detected any increase in radiation levels at key nuclear sites in Iran after the US strikes.- ‘Worldwide caution’ -Ali Akbar Velayati, an advisor to Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said bases used by US forces could be attacked in retaliation.”Any country in the region or elsewhere that is used by American forces to strike Iran will be considered a legitimate target for our armed forces,” he said in a message carried by the official IRNA news agency.Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian also vowed that the United States would “receive a response” to the attacks. The US State Department issued a “worldwide caution” for Americans on Sunday, saying the conflict in the Middle East could put those travelling or living abroad at increased risk.”There is the potential for demonstrations against US citizens and interests abroad,” the State Department’s security alert said.”The Department of State advises US citizens worldwide to exercise increased caution.”- Iran and Israel trade fire -Sirens sounded across Israel and Iran early Monday as the arch enemies exchanged their latest round of fire.The Israeli army said it was intercepting missiles from Iran, while Iranian state media Fars said the air defence system was working to counter a drone attack. After the US attacks, Iran’s armed forces said they targeted multiple sites in Israel, including Ben Gurion airport, a “biological research” facility, logistics bases and various layers of command and control centres.Tehran governor Mohammad Sadegh Motamedian told state TV that “more than 200 locations have been attacked” across the capital since the start of Israel’s bombing campaign on June 13.Israeli strikes on Iran have killed more than 400 people, Iran’s health ministry said. Iran’s attacks on Israel have killed 24 people, according to official figures.- Strait of Hormuz -US Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged China to help deter Iran from shutting down the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial trade route, following the American strikes.Analysts have said Iran may opt to retaliate to Washington’s attack by shutting the Strait, a waterway through which one-fifth of global oil output passes.”I encourage the Chinese government in Beijing to call them about that because they heavily depend on the Strait of Hormuz for their oil,” Rubio said on Fox News.burs-csp/tc/lb

Aerial assaults raged between Iran and Israel early Monday, while Tehran vowed retaliation over the bunker-buster bombs American warplanes unleashed at the weekend on three nuclear sites. US President Donald Trump insisted the attack had “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear capabilities, but other officials said it was too soon to determine how significantly Tehran’s nuclear programme had been impacted.As the world awaited Iran’s reply, supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called the bombing campaign Israel launched on June 13 “a big mistake”.”The Zionist enemy… is being punished right now,” Khamenei wrote on social media.Sirens sounded across Israel and Iran early Monday as the arch enemies exchanged their latest round of fire.The Israeli army said it was intercepting missiles from Iran, while Iranian state media Fars said the air defence system was working to counter a drone attack. In a sign of possible nervousness about the conflict spilling into a wider regional war, oil prices jumped by more than four percent in early trading on Monday.US Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged China to help deter Iran from shutting down the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial trade route through which one-fifth of global oil output passes. With Iran threatening US bases in the Middle East, the State Department issued a worldwide alert cautioning Americans abroad.”The conflict between Israel and Iran has resulted in disruptions to travel and periodic closure of airspace across the Middle East. There is the potential for demonstrations against US citizens and interests abroad,” the department’s security alert said. It made no mention of the US strikes on a key underground uranium enrichment site at Fordo, along with nuclear facilities in Isfahan and Natanz.- ‘Regime change’ -In central Tehran on Sunday, protesters waved flags and chanted slogans against US and Israeli attacks.In the province of Semnan east of the capital, 46-year-old housewife Samireh told AFP she was “truly shocked” by the strikes.”Semnan province is very far from the nuclear facilities targeted, but I’m very concerned for the people who live near,” she said.Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian said the US strikes revealed Washington was “behind” Israel’s campaign against the Islamic republic and vowed a response.After the Pentagon stressed that the goal of American intervention was not to topple the Iranian government, Trump openly toyed with the idea. “It’s not politically correct to use the term, ‘Regime Change,’ Trump posted on his Truth Social platform. “But if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn’t there be a Regime change??? MIGA!!!”Hours later he doubled down on emphasising the success of his strikes.”Monumental Damage was done to all Nuclear sites in Iran, as shown by satellite images. Obliteration is an accurate term!” Trump wrote, without sharing the images he was referencing. “The biggest damage took place far below ground level. Bullseye!!!” he added.At a Pentagon press briefing earlier in the day, top US general Dan Caine said that while it would be “way too early” for him to determine the level of destruction, “initial battle damage assessments indicate that all three sites sustained extremely severe damage.”Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, meanwhile, said his country’s bombardments will “finish” once the stated objectives of destroying Iran’s nuclear and missile capabilities have been achieved.”We are very, very close to completing them,” he told reporters.- ‘Grave consequences’ -In response to the US attack, which used over a dozen massive “bunker buster” bombs, Iran’s armed forces targeted sites in Israel including Ben Gurion airport near Tel Aviv, with at least 23 people wounded.Nine members of the Revolutionary Guards were killed Sunday in Israeli attacks on central Iran, local media reported, while three people were killed after an ambulance was struck.Israeli strikes on Iran have killed more than 400 people, Iran’s health ministry said. Iran’s attacks on Israel have killed 24 people, according to official figures.Rafael Grossi, director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), told an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council that craters were visible at the Fordo facility, but it had not been possible to assess the underground damage.He added that “armed attacks on nuclear facilities should never take place and could result in radioactive releases with grave consequences within and beyond the boundaries of the State which has been attacked.”The United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Oman, which had been mediating Iran-US nuclear talks, criticised the US strikes and called for de-escalation, while France, Germany and Britain called on Tehran “not to take any further action that could destabilise the region.”North Korea, which is also at odds with Washington over its own nuclear weapons, condemned the US strikes as a violation of the United Nations charter.Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused the United States of deciding to “blow up” nuclear diplomacy with its intervention in the war.He headed to Moscow on Sunday for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.On Sunday, Russia, China and Pakistan circulated a draft resolution with other Security Council members that calls for an “immediate ceasefire” in Iran.burs-lb/fox

Iran on Sunday threatened US bases in the Middle East after massive air strikes that Washington said had destroyed Tehran’s nuclear program, though some officials cautioned that the extent of damage was unclear.With aerial assaults between Iran and Israel raging — including fresh strikes by Israel on what it said were military targets in Iran — the US State Department issued a worldwide caution alert for its citizens traveling or living abroad.International concern focused on fears that the unprecedented US attacks would deepen conflict in the volatile region after Israel launched a bombing campaign against Iran earlier this month.Ali Akbar Velayati, an advisor to Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said bases used by US forces could be attacked in retaliation.”Any country in the region or elsewhere that is used by American forces to strike Iran will be considered a legitimate target for our armed forces,” he said in a message carried by the official IRNA news agency.”America has attacked the heart of the Islamic world and must await irreparable consequences.”In a sign of possible nervousness about a wider war, oil prices jumped by more than four percent at one point in early trading in Asia.President Donald Trump urged Iran to end the conflict after he launched surprise strikes on a key underground uranium enrichment site at Fordo, along with nuclear facilities in Isfahan and Natanz.”We had a spectacular military success yesterday, taking the ‘bomb’ right out of their hands (and they would use it if they could!)” he said on social media.And while the US president did not directly advocate regime change in the Islamic republic, he openly played with the idea — even after his aides stressed that was not a goal of American intervention.”It’s not politically correct to use the term, ‘Regime Change,’ Trump posted on his Truth Social platform. “But if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn’t there be a Regime change??? MIGA!!!”Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told a Pentagon press briefing earlier that Iran’s nuclear program had been “devastated,” adding the operation “did not target Iranian troops or the Iranian people.”Standing beside Hegseth, top US general Dan Caine said that while it would be “way too early” for him to determine the level of destruction, “initial battle damage assessments indicate that all three sites sustained extremely severe damage and destruction.”Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meanwhile said his country’s military strikes will “finish” once the stated objectives of destroying Iran’s nuclear and missile capabilities have been achieved.”We are very, very close to completing them,” he told reporters.- Tehran protests -As Iran’s leaders struck defiant tones, President Masoud Pezeshkian also vowed that the United States would “receive a response” to the attacks.People gathered Sunday in central Tehran to protest against US and Israeli attacks, waving flags and chanting slogans.In the province of Semnan east of the capital, 46-year-old housewife Samireh told AFP she was “truly shocked” by the strikes.”Semnan province is very far from the nuclear facilities targeted, but I’m very concerned for the people who live near,” she said.In an address to the nation hours after the attack, Trump claimed success for the operation, and Vice President JD Vance followed up Sunday morning.”We know that we set the Iranian nuclear program back substantially last night,” Vance told ABC.But he also suggested Iran still had its highly enriched uranium.”We’re going to work in the coming weeks to ensure that we do something with that fuel,” he said. “They no longer have the capacity to turn that stockpile of highly enriched uranium to weapons-grade uranium.”Another Khamenei advisor, Ali Shamkhani, said in a post on X that “even if nuclear sites are destroyed, game isn’t over, enriched materials, indigenous knowledge, political will remain.”Rafael Grossi, director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), told an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council that craters were visible at the Fordo facility, but no one had been able to assess the underground damage.- Retaliation risk -The main US strike group was seven B-2 Spirit bombers that flew 18 hours from the American mainland to Iran.In response to the attack, which used over a dozen massive “bunker buster” bombs, Iran’s armed forces targeted sites in Israel including Ben Gurion airport near Tel Aviv, with at least 23 people wounded.Nine members of the Revolutionary Guards were killed Sunday in Israeli attacks on central Iran, local media reported, while three people were killed after an ambulance was also struck.Israeli strikes on Iran have killed more than 400 people so far, Iran’s health ministry said. Iran’s attacks on Israel have killed 24 people, according to official figures.The United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Oman, which had been mediating Iran-US nuclear talks, criticized the US strikes and called for de-escalation, while France, Germany and Britain called on Tehran “not to take any further action that could destabilize the region.”Late Sunday the US State Department issued a “worldwide caution” for Americans, saying the conflict in the Middle East could put those traveling or living abroad at an increased security risk.”There is the potential for demonstrations against US citizens and interests abroad,” the security alert said. “The Department of State advises US citizens worldwide to exercise increased caution.”burs-wd/mlm/bjt

A shooting and suicide bombing at a Damascus church during a packed service on Sunday killed at least 22 people, authorities said, blaming a member of the Islamic State group for the unprecedented attack. The international community condemned the attack, the first of its kind in the Syrian capital since Islamist-led forces toppled longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December.It was also the first inside a church in Syria since the country’s civil war erupted in 2011, according to a monitor.Security remains one of the greatest challenges for Syria’s new authorities, with the international community repeatedly urging them to protect minorities.AFP correspondents saw first responders transporting people from the Orthodox church as security forces cordoned off the area.The church itself was strewn with wood from fittings and pews, with fallen icons and pools of blood on the floor.”A suicide attacker affiliated with the Daesh (IS) terrorist group entered the Saint Elias church in the Dwelaa area… opened fire then blew himself up with an explosive belt,” an interior ministry statement said.State news agency SANA, citing the ministry of health, reported a death toll of 22, with 63 injured.Lawrence Maamari who was inside the church when the attack happened told AFP a man had entered and begun shooting. People “tried to stop him before he blew himself up”, he added.Ziad Helou, 40, who was at a shop nearby, said he heard gunfire then an explosion, and saw glass flying.”We saw fire in the church and the remains of wooden benches thrown all the way to the entrance,” he said.- ‘Heinous crime’ -The blast sparked panic and fear in the church, which had been full of worshippers, including children and the elderly, eyewitnesses said. Families were still searching desperately for missing loved ones.The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said it was the first suicide attack inside a church in Syria since war erupted in 2011. Other churches had been damaged or seen attacks in their vicinity during the conflict, but none had been so directly targeted.The Orthodox patriarchate in Damascus called on “the authorities to bear full responsibility for what has happened and is happening concerning the violation of the sanctity of churches, and to ensure the protection of all citizens”.Syria’s Christian community has shrunk from around one million before the war to under 300,000 due to waves of displacement and emigration.The United Nations special envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen expressed “outrage at this heinous crime”, calling for a full investigation.US special envoy Tom Barrack said Washington supported Syria “as it fights against those who are seeking to create instability and fear in their country and the broader region”.Turkey, which is close to the new authorities, expressed confidence that Syrians would stay united in “their fight against terrorist organisations that seek to sow chaos in the country”. France’s foreign ministry restated its commitment to “a transition in Syria that allows Syrians, whatever their religion, to live in peace and security in a free, united, pluralistic, prosperous, stable and sovereign” country.Egypt’s Al-Azhar, Sunni Islam’s prestigious seat of learning, called it a “blatant assault on the right to life” and worship.- Investigation -Syria’s foreign ministry described the attack as “a desperate attempt to undermine national coexistence and to destabilise the country”.Assad had portrayed himself as a protector of minorities, who during Syria’s nearly 14-year civil war were targeted by numerous attacks — many of them claimed by jihadist groups including IS.Since the new authorities took power, the international community has urged the government to protect minorities and ensure their participation in Syria’s transition, particularly after sectarian violence in recent months.Interior Minister Anas Khattab said that specialised teams had begun investigating.”These terrorist acts will not stop the efforts of the Syrian state in achieving civil peace,” Khattab said according to a statement.In an interview earlier this month, Khattab said that IS had shifted “to studied attacks on strategic targets” and had attempted “to carry out attacks against the Christian and Shiite community” that the authorities had thwarted.Last month, IS claimed its first attack on Syria’s new government forces. Authorities said they had arrested members of an IS cell near Damascus, accusing them of preparing attacks.IS seized large swathes of Syrian and Iraqi territory in the early years of the civil war, declaring a cross-border “caliphate” in 2014 before being territorially defeated in 2019.burs-lar/lg/tc/lb

Iran on Sunday threatened military bases used by US forces to launch attacks on the country’s nuclear sites, saying such facilities would be considered legitimate targets.The United States has thousands of troops deployed on bases across the Middle East.Below, AFP examines countries with major concentrations of US forces in the Middle East, which falls under the US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM).- Bahrain -The tiny Gulf kingdom hosts an installation known as Naval Support Activity Bahrain, where the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet and US Naval Forces Central Command headquarters are based.Bahrain’s deep-water port can accommodate the largest US military vessels, such as aircraft carriers, and the US Navy has used the base in the country since 1948, when the facility was operated by Britain’s Royal Navy.Several US ships have their home port in Bahrain, including four anti-mine vessels and two logistical support ships. The US Coast Guard also has vessels in the country, including six fast response cutters.- Iraq -The United States has troops at various installations in Iraq, including Al-Asad and Arbil air bases. The Iraqi government is a close ally of Iran, but also a strategic partner of Tehran’s arch-foe the United States.There are some 2,500 US troops in Iraq as part of the international coalition against the Islamic State jihadist group. Baghdad and Washington have agreed on a timetable for the gradual withdrawal of the coalition’s forces from the country.US forces in Iraq and Syria were repeatedly targeted by pro-Iran militants following the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023, but responded with heavy strikes on Tehran-linked targets, and the attacks largely subsided.- Kuwait -Kuwait has several US bases, including Camp Arifjan, the location of the forward headquarters for the US Army component of CENTCOM. The US Army also has stocks of prepositioned materiel in the country.Ali al-Salem Air Base hosts the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing, which the military describes as the “primary airlift hub and gateway for delivering combat power to joint and coalition forces” in the region. Additionally, the United States has drones including MQ-9 Reapers in Kuwait.- Qatar -Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar includes the forward components of CENTCOM, as well as of its air forces and special operation forces in the region. It also hosts rotating combat aircraft, as well as the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, which the military says includes “airlift, aerial refueling intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, and aeromedical evacuation assets.”- Syria -The United States has for years maintained troop presences at a series of installations in Syria as part of international efforts against the Islamic State group, which rose out of the country’s civil war to overrun large parts of Syria and neighboring Iraq.The Pentagon announced in April that it would roughly halve the number of its forces in the country to less than 1,000 in the coming months as part of a “consolidation” of US troops in the country.- United Arab Emirates -Al Dhafra Air Base in the UAE hosts the US 380th Air Expeditionary Wing, a force that is composed of 10 squadrons of aircraft and also includes drones such as MQ-9 Reapers.Combat aircraft have rotated through Al Dhafra, which also hosts the Gulf Air Warfare Center for air and missile defense training.

At least 22 people were killed Sunday in a suicide attack on a church in Damascus, authorities said, blaming a member of the Islamic State group for the unprecedented attack. The international community condemned the attack, the first of its kind in the Syrian capital since Islamist-led forces toppled longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December.It was also the first inside a church in Syria since the country’s civil war erupted in 2011, according to a monitor.Security remains one of the greatest challenges for Syria’s new authorities, whom the international community has repeatedly urged to protect minorities.An interior ministry statement said: “A suicide attacker affiliated with the Daesh (IS) terrorist group entered the Saint Elias church in the Dwelaa area… opened fire then blew himself up with an explosive belt.”AFP correspondents saw first responders transporting people from the Orthodox church as security forces cordoned off the area.The church itself was strewn with wood from fittings and pews, with fallen icons and pools of blood on the floor.A health ministry statement carried by state news agency SANA said 22 people had been killed and dozens wounded, raising an earlier toll of 20 dead.Lawrence Maamari who was inside the church when they attack happened told AFP a man had entered and begun shooting. People “tried to stop him before he blew himself up”, he added.Ziad Helou, 40, who was at a shop nearby, said he heard gunfire then an explosion, and saw glass flying.”We saw fire in the church and the remains of wooden benches thrown all the way to the entrance,” he said.- ‘Heinous crime’ -The blast sparked panic and fear in the church, which had been full of worshippers including children and the elderly, eyewitnesses said. Families were still searching desperately for missing loved ones.The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said it was the first suicide attack inside a church in Syria since war erupted in 2011. Other churches had been damaged or had attacks had been in their vicinity during the conflict — but none had been so directly targeted.The Orthodox patriarchate in Damascus called on “the authorities to bear full responsibility for what has happened and is happening concerning the violation of the sanctity of churches, and to ensure the protection of all citizens”.Syria’s Christian community has shrunk from around one million before the war to under 300,000 due to waves of displacement and emigration.The United Nations special envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen expressed “outrage at this heinous crime”, calling for a full investigation.US special envoy Tom Barrack said Washington supported Syria “as it fights against those who are seeking to create instability and fear in their country and the broader region”.Turkey, which is close to the new authorities, expressed confidence that Syrians would stay united in “their fight against terrorist organisations that seek to sow chaos in the country”. France’s foreign ministry restated its commitment to “a transition in Syria that allows Syrians, whatever their religion, to live in peace and security in a free, united, pluralistic, prosperous, stable and sovereign” country.Egypt’s Al-Azhar, Sunni Islam’s prestigious seat of learning, called it a “blatant assault on the right to life” and worship.- Investigation -Syria’s foreign ministry described the attack as “a desperate attempt to undermine national coexistence and to destabilise the country”.Assad had portrayed himself as a protector of minorities, who during Syria’s nearly 14-year civil war were targeted by numerous attacks — many of them claimed by jihadist groups including IS.Since the new authorities took power, the international community has urged the government to protect minorities and ensure their participation in Syria’s transition, particularly after sectarian violence in recent months.Interior Minister Anas Khattab said that specialised teams had begun investigating.”These terrorist acts will not stop the efforts of the Syrian state in achieving civil peace,” Khattab said according to a statement.In an interview earlier this month, Khattab said that IS had shifted “to studied attacks on strategic targets” and had attempted “to carry out attacks against the Christian and Shiite community” that the authorities had thwarted.Last month, IS claimed its first attack on Syria’s new government forces, but authorities said they had arrested members of an IS cell near Damascus, accusing them of preparing attacks.IS seized large swathes of Syrian and Iraqi territory in the early years of the civil war, declaring a cross-border “caliphate” in 2014 before being territorially defeated in 2019.burs-lar/lg/jj

At the blood-stained Saint Elias church in Damascus, Umm George wept as she desperately searched for her son, who was among the worshippers when a suicide bomber struck on Sunday.In vain, she tried to convince Syrian security forces, who had cordoned off the area, to let her into the church, whose windows had been blown out and whose interior was covered with debris and damaged pews.”My son was praying in the church,” she told AFP. “I tried to contact him but his mobile phone is off the air and I haven’t been able to find him.””I’m afraid I won’t hear his voice again,” she said, breaking down.Panicked family members rushed to the church in the working-class Dwelaa district of the Syrian capital searching for loved ones after news of the blast spread.The interior ministry said “a suicide attacker affiliated with the Daesh (IS) terrorist group” entered the church, “opened fire then blew himself up with an explosive belt” in an unprecedented attack inside a Syrian church since war erupted more than 14 years ago.Authorities said more than 20 people were killed and dozens wounded.AFP correspondents saw blood and human remains inside the devastated church, whose panels holding religious icons were scattered on the ground and its central chandelier shattered.The blast sparked panic in the church, which had been full of worshippers including children and the elderly, an eyewitness said.- ‘Extremely afraid’ -Lawrence Maamari, who was among those inside, said that “someone entered from outside carrying a weapon” and began shooting, adding that people “tried to stop him before he blew himself up”.Maamari said he helped move around 10 casualties from the scene, as local residents tried to help the wounded before ambulances and other emergency vehicles arrived.Other worshippers were shocked, unable to comprehend what had happened, their faces filled with grief.The force of the blast sent glass flying towards a shop opposite, where Ziad Helou, 40, said he heard gunfire then an explosion, and threw himself to the ground in fear.”We saw fire in the church and the remains of wooden benches thrown all the way to the entrance,” he said.Several churches were damaged during Syria’s war, which erupted in 2011, or attacks were carried out in their vicinity, but none were directly hit by such an attack.The government of now-ousted ruler Bashar al-Assad long portrayed itself as a protector of minorities, who were targeted by numerous attacks during the conflict, many claimed by jihadist groups including IS.The attack is also the first of its kind since the new authorities took over after Assad’s December ouster, while the international community has repeatedly called for minorities to be protected.”We were extremely afraid,” said Helou.”I remember the explosions during the war,” he added.