Above: Syrian air defences intercept Israeli missiles over Damacus during an earlier Israeli strike<\/p>\n
Syrian air defences on Tuesday intercepted an Israeli missile strike over the capital Damascus, state media reported, while military defectors said the missiles may have targeted Iranian-backed militias.<\/p>\n
“Syrian air defences intercepted an Israeli aggression coming from Lebanese airspace,” state media said. Earlier, state media said large explosions were heard.<\/p>\n
A Syrian military source was quoted on state media as saying the strikes targeted parts of central and southern areas, without elaborating on the locations, adding they left only material damage.<\/p>\n
Some state media outlets said the strikes hit Homs province which also adjoins neighbouring Lebanon, where the Iranian- backed Lebanese Shi’ite Hezbollah holds sway along the rugged border area.<\/p>\n
There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military. If confirmed, this would be the first such missile raid in about a month. Pre-dawn raids struck the Mediterranean port of Latakia close to a Russian air base on May 5.<\/p>\n
Western intelligence sources said Israel\u2019s stepped-up strikes on Syria since last year are part of a shadow war approved by the United States. The strikes are also part of an anti-Iran policy that in the last two years has undermined Iran\u2019s extensive military power without starting a major increase in hostilities.<\/p>\n
The intelligence sources said that Israel has over the past year expanded its targets across Syria, where thousands of Iranian-backed militias have been involved in regaining much of the territory lost by Syrian President Bashar al Assad to insurgents in the decade-old civil war.<\/p>\n