Syria: Israeli Airstrikes Wound Troops in Damascus

Syria’s state media has reported that Israeli missiles have hit Damascus suburbs wounding troops. The attack is the latest in a series of strikes on Syria by Israel, which accuses its regional arch-foe Iran of trying to establish military bases there.

The report said air defenses intercepted hostile targets over Damascus and other parts of Syria during the early hours of Tuesday morning.

State news agency SANA said the attack witnessed the launch of several missiles by Israeli warplanes, adding that air defenses downed majority while the rest caused material damage.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based monitor, also reported that air defenses were activated and responded to enemy targets. The Israel Defense Forces said it does not comment on foreign reports.

Syria’s Foreign Ministry said that the attacks were an attempt to raise the morale of Israel’s accomplices. It also added that it holds Israel and its supporters responsible for the continued aggression against Syria.

The latest attack comes just two days after Damascus accused Israeli jets of bombing a military position near Damascus Airport. It said the attack was consistent with Israel’s support for armed groups fighting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Israel has carried out several of these operations recently, targeting what an Israeli source said were Hezbollah weapons stores and arms factories. It also struck a Syrian military site on May 9, just hours after Syria fired dozens of rockets at Israeli positions in the occupied Golan Heights.

Syria accuses Israel of supporting terrorist groups by attacking military targets. Last month, the Syrian government said it shot down an Israeli warplane and drone after observing them while a projectile from the fighting in Syria strayed into the occupied Golan Heights area. Earlier this month, Damascus said that Israel had targeted a military airport west of capital using missiles fired by two warplanes. It also said that the attack was carried out to help embattled militants in Quneitra.

Syria has been gripped by civil war since March 2011 with various terrorist groups, including Daesh (ISIS), currently controlling parts of it. The Syrian government has repeatedly blamed its foreign enemies for fueling the unrest by supporting Takfiri terrorists.

Syria has been hit by Israeli air strikes several times in the past, specifically after a Russian military plane was shot down over the Syrian territory last September. At that time, Israel claimed it had targeted an arms transfer for Hezbollah because of the alleged incursion of a Syrian drone into its airspace. However, Moscow denied such an intrusion and asserted that the Israeli strikes had actually targeted Syria’s armed forces.

Back in April, Israel launched a missile attack against an airbase in central Homs province from where, it said, drones used to fly into Israeli airspace were operated. Tel Aviv has not provided any evidence that Damascus and its allies were behind such attempts.