Syrian military repels ‘Israeli enemy’ attack near Damascus

Syrian air defences confronted a “hostile target” breaching the country’s airspace west of the capital Damascus, state media reported.

The area is close to the country’s border with Lebanon. Saturday’s report suggested Israel was to blame for the incursion.

State news agency SANA said there were reports of “air defences confronting a hostile target breaching the skies above the area of Deir al-Asha’ir in the Damascus countryside”.

“Our air defences confronted an enemy target that penetrated airspace,” SANA reported. “In the past few weeks, the Israeli enemy has attacked military positions.”

A spokeswoman for the Israeli military said it would not comment on foreign media reports.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed air defences launched missiles. The Britain-based war monitor said Lebanon’s Hezbollah militia, which has backed the Damascus government in Syria’s seven-year civil war, was present in the area.

Syrian air defences were activated in a similar way over western Damascus on Thursday night.

Israel has carried out numerous raids in Syria in recent years, targeting government forces, Hezbollah and Iranian fighters, also allies of Syria. 

Damascus last month took back control of its entire border with the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights and its southwest border with Jordan after an offensive that began in June.

Israel is concerned that Iran’s growing presence in Syria poses a threat to its security.

SOURCE: Reuters news agency