Syrian Observatory Says Israel Hit Military Positions

Arab World

June 9th, 3:47am

Asharq Al-Awsat

Missile fire is seen from Damascus, Syria May 10, 2018. REUTERS/Omar Sanadiki

Syria's air defense system has been activated against an "Israeli aggression" in Damascus, state media said late Tuesday. Israeli planes arrived from Lebanese airspace, the media said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported "violent explosions felt in Damascus and around the city, followed by Israeli strikes on military positions" of the Syrian army. The airstrikes targeted an area "close to Damascus's international airport, as well as a Syrian air force battalion in the Dumayr region", around 50 kilometers from Damascus, where "explosions took place at arms depots", according to the Observatory. "Airstrikes also took place in the south of Homs province" while "explosions were felt in the provinces of Hama and Latakia" in the north and northwest respectively. "The strikes have led to human losses in Homs, where rescue teams have been dispatched to the targeted sites," the Observatory said, without giving a toll. Observatory chief Rami Abdul Rahman told AFP that "these are the first Israeli strikes in Syria since the recent war in Gaza" between Israel and Hamas. The Israeli army, which rarely acknowledges its strikes in Syria, told AFP: "We do not comment on reports in the foreign media." Since the start of the war in Syria in 2011, Israel has carried out hundreds of airstrikes on Syrian territory, targeting regime positions as well as allied Iranian forces and members of Lebanon's Hezbollah.

from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3017266/syrian-observatory-says-israel-hit-military-positions