Syria claims Israel bombed targets outside Damascus

Syria’s state news agency claimed that Israeli planes bombed targets in the area of Damascus late Monday night, wounding two soldiers.

Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) said the aerial missiles were launched from over the Sea of Galilee. The news agency reported that Syria shot down several of the missiles.

Israel did not respond to the claims, following a policy of not commenting on air raids in foreign countries.

SANA reported that damage was done but the extent and the condition of the wounded soldiers was not known.

Although Israel usually does not comment on strikes against Syria, it does claim to carry out hundreds of attacks against groups trying to establish a foothold in the country and to strike arms shipments headed toward terrorist groups, such as Hezbollah in Lebanon.

The Israeli Air Force is also believed to attack Syrian air defense systems.

In a rare comment last week, Israeli Defense Forces Chief of the General Staff Lt.-Gen. Aviv Kochavi said the IAF conducted an airstrike last November on a military convoy that was believed to be transporting Iranian ammunition near the Syria-Iraq border.

The last airstrike Syria attributed to Israel was on Dec. 11, when a military site was targeted. Hours later, the IDF dropped leaflets warning Syrian soldiers to leave the area and to stop helping Iranian-backed Hezbollah forces in the area.