Syria: Israeli air strikes hit government positions near Damascus

Israel carried out air strikes on government positions near the Syrian capital of Damascus on Thursday night, the state news agency Sana said, without reporting any casualties. 

Sana reported that "an Israeli air raid targeted certain positions near Damascus," citing a military source, adding that several explosions were heard in the area. 

Impoverished Syrians suffering a Ramadan of scarce food and exorbitant prices

Read More »

It also said that Syrian air defences had shot down "some" of the missiles fired and that the strikes that hit the Syrian countryside caused only physical damage, without giving further details. 

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the Israelis attacked military positions southwest of Damascus.

However, a pro-government allied commander denied that the strikes had hit their positions outside of Damascus, Reuters reported. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli government.

Since the Syrian civil war began in 2011, Israel has carried out hundreds of air strikes inside the country, targeting government positions as well as allied Iran-backed forces and fighters of Lebanon's Hezbollah. 

In 2020, the Iran-backed fighters were deployed in a stretch of territory between the Syrian towns of Albu Kamal and Mayadeen, the former strongholds of the Islamic State group.

While Israel rarely comments on undertaking individual strikes, it has acknowledged mounting hundreds of air strikes since 2011.

In March, state media reported that an Israeli attack over the Syrian capital resulted in the deaths of two civilians and caused some material damage. 

The Syrian war has claimed around 500,000 lives, displaced millions of people and left the country's infrastructure in ruins.