Israel has carried out a second air strike on Syria, hitting targets in and close to Damascus in what briefings by unnamed western intelligence sources reportedly claimed was an attempt to stop a shipment of advanced, Iranian-made missiles heading to Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Syria's state news agency, Sana, reported blasts at the Jamraya military and research centre near Damascus, saying: "Initial reports point to these explosions being a result of Israeli missiles." The agency spoke of an unspecified number of casualties.
While Israel made no comment, Lebanon's al-Mayadeen TV reported several strikes, including one on a military position in a village west of Damascus, about six miles from the Lebanese border.
Hezbollah's al-Manar TV said the Jamraya facility was not hit and that it was an army supply centre which had been targeted. The station quoted Syrian security officials as saying three sites, including military barracks, arms depots and air defence infrastructure, were targeted. Amateur video footage said to have been shot early on Sunday in the Damascus area showed fire lighting up the night sky.
It is the second Israeli air strike on Syria in three days, both reportedly targeting what Israel believes are shipments of advanced weapons, including Iranian-made Fateh-110 missiles.
{{/usCountry}}It is the second Israeli air strike on Syria in three days, both reportedly targeting what Israel believes are shipments of advanced weapons, including Iranian-made Fateh-110 missiles.
{{/usCountry}}"In last night's attack, as in the previous one, what was attacked were stores of Fateh-110 missiles that were in transit from Iran to Hezbollah," Reuters quoted a "western intelligence source" as saying.