Alleged Israeli airstrikes target Damascus area - report

The airstrike comes just months after airstrikes in Aleppo killed a Syrian soldier in April.

 A streak of light is seen in the night sky in the vicinity of the Syrian capital Damascus during what Syrian authorities said was an Israeli air strike, in this handout released by state news agency SANA on February 24, 2020.  (photo credit: SANA/HANDOUT VIA REUTERS)
A streak of light is seen in the night sky in the vicinity of the Syrian capital Damascus during what Syrian authorities said was an Israeli air strike, in this handout released by state news agency SANA on February 24, 2020.
(photo credit: SANA/HANDOUT VIA REUTERS)

Alleged Israeli airstrikes targeted sites in the Damascus area on Sunday night, with Syrian air defenses responding to the strikes, according to Syrian state news agency SANA.

The Russian Center for Reconciliation of the Opposing Parties in Syria, part of Russia's Defense Ministry, reported on Monday that Russian-made Buk-M2E air defense systems used by Syrian forces downed two out of six projectiles launched by two Israeli F-16 fighter jets over the Damascus area on Sunday night.

Two warehouses were damaged in the strikes and no injuries were caused, according to the Russian Defense Ministry.

According to the Alma Research and Education Center, the strikes targeted sites north of Damascus near Hafir Fawqa and the Alhama neighborhood, estimating that some of the targets were Syrian air defense batteries.

The strikes on Sunday night were the first alleged Israeli strikes reported in Syria since strikes targeted the Aleppo International Airport earlier this month.

F-16 fighter jet of the 117th First Jet Squadron (credit: DAVID WEINRICH)
F-16 fighter jet of the 117th First Jet Squadron (credit: DAVID WEINRICH)

A Syrian soldier was killed and seven other individuals were injured in the strikes near Aleppo, which came just a day before Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi visited Syria.

Recent strikes

Just a few days before those strikes, alleged Israeli airstrikes targeted the Homs area, injuring three individuals, according to Syrian reports. The Sputnik news agency reported that large fires broke out near Homs amid those strikes.