2023 Homs drone strike
On October 5, 2023, a drone strike hit a Syrian military graduation ceremony at the Homs Military Academy, killing at least 112 people and wounding more than 277. The attack came after clashes in the De-escalation Zone in northwestern Syria, and the drones are believed to have originated from rebel-held areas northwest of Homs. The attacker was not identified. Syrian Defense Minister Ali Mahmoud Abbas attended the ceremony but left before the strike and later visited casualties in a hospital. The government vowed a strong response and launched rocket and artillery strikes against Idlib, killing at least 24 civilians and injuring 37, while shelling rebel-held areas in Idlib and Aleppo. Russian airstrikes hit regions in northwestern Hama. The government announced three days of mourning starting October 6. The attack was condemned by the Arab League and expressed concern by the United Nations, with UN officials calling it horrific and urging restraint.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 16:48 (CET).