Israel strikes targets near Damascus, Syrian state media reports

 

Israel attacked targets near the Syrian capital Damascus overnight, Syrian state media (SANA) reported.

The airstrikes occurred around 2:25 a.m. local time and were launched from the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, SANA reported.

The news agency said air defenses had intercepted most of the missiles and there were no reports of damage or injuries. 

Some context: Israel very rarely acknowledges its strikes on targets in Syria, though officials often accuse Syria of hosting Iranian-backed militia.

Last week, Israel said forces based in Syria had launched a drone from Syrian territory that had apparently flown through Israeli-controlled airspace and hit a school in Eilat, in Israel’s south.

In recent weeks, Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have claimed several missile and drone attacks against Israel and warned further strikes would come.

More context: The Golan Heights are considered occupied territory under international law and UN Security Council resolutions. Israel seized the narrow strip of land from Syria in 1967 during the Six-Day War and annexed the land in 1981.