(Damascus) Five Syrian soldiers were killed in Israeli strikes near Damascus airport on Saturday, Syrian state news agency Sana reported.
Posted at 7:37 p.m.
“The attack resulted in the death of five soldiers and material damage,” Sana said, citing a military source.
The projectiles arrived “from northeast of Lake Tiberias, targeting the airport and points south of Damascus” around 12:45 a.m. (2145 GMT Friday), the source added.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the attack also killed two Iranian-backed fighters, in addition to five Syrian soldiers.
According to this organization, which relies on an extensive network of sources in Syria, Israel has targeted sites where Tehran-backed fighters are stationed near Damascus airport and in the surrounding countryside.
Last month, Israeli strikes near Damascus and in the southern coastal province of Tartous killed three soldiers. The Jewish state has also attacked Aleppo airport in the north of the country twice in the past month. And in June, further strikes on Damascus airport had put it out of service for almost two weeks.
Since the start of Syria’s civil war in 2011, Israel has carried out hundreds of attacks on its neighbor, targeting troops from the government and its Iran-backed Hezbollah allies.
Israel rarely confirms individual strikes, but has admitted carrying out hundreds. The Jewish state justifies them by the need to prevent its Iranian enemy from strengthening itself on its borders.