Two dead are the toll of an Israeli attack earlier today on a provincial road western Syrianear the border with Lebanonaccording to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and security sources cited by the Reuters news agency.

“An Israeli drone struck a car in which Bara al-Katerji was riding in the Sabourah district, near Damascus, killing him and his companion,” the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported, noting that the businessman is linked to the “Front for the Liberation of the Golan” created by Lebanon’s Hezbollah and conducting operations against Israel from southern Syria.

Bara al-Khaterji had built a business empire related to oil, transport and construction with his brother, Hussam. The Catterjee brothers and their companies are subject to US sanctions, including for “facilitating the transfer of oil and funding to the Syrian regime,” according to the US Treasury Department.

Israel has launched hundreds of airstrikes in Syria since the neighboring country’s civil war broke out 13 years ago, mostly targeting Iranian-backed forces and Syrian army positions. It has escalated attacks since the start of the war with Hamas, which was sparked by the unprecedented October 7 attack.