ESCALATION

Israel Bombs Syrian Research Facility

The first act of violence between the two nations in five years.

Syria's chaotic civil war got even messier Wednesday when an Israeli airstrike—allegedly aimed at truck convoy inside Syria—hit a scientific research center, killing two and causing "huge material damage." Israel and Syria, technically in a state of war, have maintained a fairly tranquil relationship for the past five years. Earlier in the week, Israel expressed concern about Syria's "chemical or advanced conventional weapons" making into the hands of Islamic rebels. The Syrian government denounced the attack in a statement, calling it a "breach of Syrian sovereignty.” Estimates of 60,000 have been killed in Syria's bloody civil war, which began in March of 2011.