Syrian state media reported that Syrian air defenses responded on Tuesday to an Israeli missile strike in the skies over the capital, Damascus, while defectors from the army indicated that the missiles likely targeted Iranian-backed armed factions. State media stated, "Our air defenses are confronting an Israeli aggression from the direction of Lebanese airspace." Official media quoted a Syrian military source as saying that the strikes targeted parts of regions in the central and southern areas but did not specify exact locations. The source added that the attack resulted only in material damage.
Some official media had reported that the strikes hit the neighboring province of Homs, where the Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah controls the desolate border area. The Israeli army has not commented on these reports. If confirmed, this attack would be the first missile strike in nearly a month. Previous airstrikes targeted the coastal city of Latakia near a Russian airbase on May 5. Western intelligence sources have indicated that Israel's intensification of strikes on Syria since last year is part of a covert war approved by the United States. The strikes are also part of a policy aimed at countering Iran, which has undermined the military power of the Islamic Republic over the past two years without leading to a significant increase in hostilities.
Intelligence sources stated that Israel has expanded its range of targets across Syria over the past year, where thousands of Iranian-backed armed factions have participated in reclaiming much of the territory lost by President Bashar al-Assad to armed opposition in the nearly decade-long civil war.
