Syria accuses Israel of striking near Damascus Airport

Strikes comes amid large scale offensive in southwestern Syria

Missile fire is seen from Damascus, Syria May 10, 2018 (photo credit: REUTERS/OMAR SANADIKI)
Missile fire is seen from Damascus, Syria May 10, 2018
(photo credit: REUTERS/OMAR SANADIKI)
The Syrian regime accused Israel of striking weapons depots and warehouses near Damascus International Airport, the official Syrian news agency SANA reported Tuesday.
The strike, which took place at around 1 a.m. on Tuesday, targeted buildings belonging to Shiite militias loyal to the regime of President Bashar al-Assad.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that Syrian air defenses failed to intercept the two missiles fired from Israel’s Golan Heights.
“This aggression comes in the framework of the support provided by the Zionist entity to the terrorist organizations to raise their collapsed morals due to the big losses inflicted upon them by the Syrian army over the last few days,” stated the SANA report.
Unconfirmed local reports stated that missiles also targeted an Iranian cargo plane that had been unloading at the airport.
During a ceremony honoring reservists held in the Knesset auditorium on Tuesday – part of a day dedicated to the IDF and reservists in particular – IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Gadi Eisenkot spoke about the military’s current capabilities.
“IDF units on land, air and in the sea operate around the clock and are tested every single day – in thwarting terror in Judea and Samaria; protecting the country’s borders in the south and the north; and in continuous offensive activity to thwart the advanced capabilities [of Israel’s enemies] and to reduce threats to the country,” he said.
Oren Oppenheim contributed to this report.