18 July 2012 Damascus bombing
The 18 July 2012 Damascus bombing of the National Security headquarters in Rawda Square, Damascus, killed and injured a number of top military and security officials of Bashar al-Assad's government. Among the dead were the Syrian Defense Minister and Deputy Defense Minister. The incident occurred during the Syrian Civil War, and is considered to be one of the most notorious events to affect the conflict. Syrian public-owned television reported that it was a suicide attack while the opposition claims it was a remotely detonated bomb.