Missiles fired by Israeli warplanes hit Damascus airport warehouse late Friday. The strikes caused damage but no casualties, a Syrian military official said. In spite of Russia protecting the Assad regime.
The unidentified Syrian military official was quoted by Syrian state media as saying Israeli aircraft coming from the south fired several missiles at areas near Damascus about 45 minutes before midnight. He said Syrian air defense units shot down most of the missiles, but gave no details on other sites targeted. Syrian media usually exaggerates Assad military capabilities.
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Hezbollah’s Al-Manar TV said the attack was broader than usual. It targeted areas ranging from the eastern Damascus suburb of Dmeir to Kiswa south of capital all the way to the village of Dimas in the west near the Lebanon border.
Syrian dissidents said airstrikes targeted an area near the airport while others hit the area of Kiswa. Kiswa is home to positions and storage sites for Iranian and Hezbollah forces allied with Assad.
There was no immediate word from Israel, which rarely comments on such attacks. Israel is widely believed to have been behind a series of airstrikes in Syria that have mainly targeted Iranian and Hezbollah forces.
It was the first airstrike on the Damascus area this year since Israeli warplanes struck areas near the capital on Christmas Day. In last month’s incident, Israeli aircraft flying over Lebanon fired missiles toward areas near Damascus, hitting an arms depot and wounding three soldiers.
In Lebanon, observers heard Israeli drones and warplanes flying Friday afternoon in preparation for the attack.
Russia announced it had delivered the S-300 air defense system to Syria in October. That followed the Sept. 17 downing of a Russian reconnaissance plane by Syrian forces responding to an Israeli airstrike. It was a friendly fire incident that stoked regional tensions.
Reuters contributed to this article.
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