Syrian businessman killed in Israeli drone strike

BEIRUT

A Syrian pro-regime businessman was killed in an Israeli strike on his car near the Syrian-Lebanese border Monday evening, according to Lebanese media.

A drone targeted the car of Baraa Katerji in the Syrian town of Saboura near the border with Lebanon, Al-Mayadeen television reported. The businessman and his bodyguard were killed in the attack.

Katerji and his brother Husam had close ties to the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. They were under US sanctions for facilitating fuel shipments to the Syrian regime, according to the US Treasury.

Katerji and his brother built a business empire associated with oil, logistics, transport and construction.

There was no immediate comment from Israeli or Syrian authorities on the report.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar