Syrian air defenses intercept Israeli missiles in central, southern regions

DAMASCUS - Syrian air defenses intercepted Israeli missiles in the central province of Homs and the southern Quneitra province after midnight Thursday, state news agency SANA reported.

The missiles were fired from Israeli warplanes over the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights and from Lebanese airspace, said the report, without providing details on the targets.

The attack is the latest in a string of missile strikes carried out by Israel.

Throughout the Syrian crisis, Israel has carried out hundreds of airstrikes against Iranian targets in Syria, as well as convoys transporting weapons to the Shiite Lebanese Hezbollah group.

On Feb. 23, Syrian air defenses intercepted a number of Israeli missiles over Damascus, just 10 days after dealing with some missiles from Golan Heights that targeted areas around the capital.

On Feb. 6, Israel carried out a similar attack around Damascus, killing a number of pro-government fighters, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based watchdog.

In January, Damascus accused the Israeli air force of carrying out an attack on the T4 military airport in central Syria.

Last November, the Israeli army carried out a series of airstrikes against Syrian military sites and Iranian forces, killing 23 people, including 16 foreigners, said the Observatory.

The strikes further highlighted the sprawling tensions between Israel and Iran in Syria, which have escalated over the past months.

In 2019 alone, more than 17 Israeli attacks were launched against targets in Syria.