First Thing: Israel strikes Syria as Netanyahu approves settlement expansion

The Israeli PM approved plan to double Israeli population in Golan Heights. Plus, South Korea’s constitutional court begins reviewing presidential impeachment

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Good morning.

Israel bombed dozens of sites in Syria overnight, despite the Syrian rebel leader, Abu Mohammed al-Jolani aka Ahmed al-Sharaa, saying his Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group was not interested in conflict with Israel.

What is Israel bombing in Syria? Israeli air raids have hit bases, heavy weapons, sites associated with the former Assad regime’s missile and chemical weapons programme, and destroyed Syria’s small naval force in port of Latakia. The scale of the Israeli bombing campaign has surprised many western capitals.

How did Netanyahu justify further settlements? He justified expanding Israeli settlements in the occupied Golan Heights “in light of the war and the new front facing Syria” and a desire to double the Israeli population in the area. “We will continue to hold on to it, cause it to blossom and settle in it,” he said.