Attack hits home of Islamic Jihad official in Damascus, killing his son, after Israel struck top Islamic Jihad commander in Gaza

 A strike on a Damascus home belonging to an Islamic Jihad official has killed the man’s son, in what appears to be part of an Israeli operation to assassinate leaders of the Palestinian militant group in Gaza and Syria. 

 Islamic Jihad issued a statement on Tuesday confirming the attack, identifying the official as Akram al-Ajouri. A separate missile strike reportedly hit a civilian building near the Lebanese Embassy in the western district of the capital that is home to Damascus University and several diplomatic missions. 

 A Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant stands guard at the scene of an Israeli strike that killed the group's field commander Baha Abu Al-Atta in Gaza City November 12, 2019. © REUTERS/Mohammed Salem 

 The group did not immediately accuse anyone of carrying out the strike, although it occurred shortly after an Israeli attack killed a top Islamic Jihad commander in Gaza. 

 Israel braced for retaliatory attacks after carrying out the strikes. Air sirens sounded in central Israel, warning of possible rocket attacks from Gaza.