An Israeli strike on an apartment belonging to the Lebanese Hezbollah group killed seven people Sunday in a stronghold of pro-Iran groups south of Damascus, a war monitor said.

"An Israeli strike killed seven people and wounded 14, including women and children, in the Sayyida Zeinab area," Rami Abdel Rahman, who heads the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, told AFP, revising an earlier toll of three dead.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/partial-biased-data-israel-rejects-warnings-of-impending-famine-in-gaza-774893">'Partial, biased data': Israel rejects warnings of impending famine in Gaza</a>

The Britain-based monitor, which has a network of sources inside Syria, earlier said that "the Israeli attack targeted (Hezbollah) figures in the building where Lebanese families and members of the movement live."

Syria's official SANA news agency reported an "Israeli aggression targeting a residential building in the Sayyida Zeinab" area, home to a major Shiite shrine, that killed and injured an unspecified number of people.

On Saturday, four pro-Iran fighters were among five people killed in Israeli strikes in north and northwest Syria, the Observatory reported.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/west-asia-crisis-us-uk-launch-raids-on-yemens-sanaa-and-other-areas-774935">West Asia crisis: US, UK launch raids on Yemen's Sanaa and other areas</a>

Since Syria's civil war broke out in 2011, Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes in Syria, mainly targeting army positions and fighters, including from Hezbollah.

The strikes have increased since Israel entered an all-out war with Hezbollah in Lebanon on September 23.

Israeli authorities rarely comment on the strikes but have repeatedly said they will not allow arch-enemy Iran to expand its presence in Syria.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits for grammar and punctuation. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

An Israeli strike on an apartment belonging to the Lebanese Hezbollah group killed seven people Sunday in a stronghold of pro-Iran groups south of Damascus, a war monitor said.

An Israeli strike on an apartment belonging to the Lebanese Hezbollah group killed seven people Sunday in a stronghold of pro-Iran groups south of Damascus, a war monitor said. "An Israeli strike killed seven people and wounded 14, including women and children, in the Sayyida Zeinab area," Rami Abdel Rahman, who heads the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, told AFP, revising an earlier toll of three dead. Also read | 'Partial, biased data': Israel rejects warnings of impending famine in Gaza The Britain-based monitor, which has a network of sources inside Syria, earlier said that "the Israeli attack targeted (Hezbollah) figures in the building where Lebanese families and members of the movement live." Syria's official SANA news agency reported an "Israeli aggression targeting a residential building in the Sayyida Zeinab" area, home to a major Shiite shrine, that killed and injured an unspecified number of people. On Saturday, four pro-Iran fighters were among five people killed in Israeli strikes in north and northwest Syria, the Observatory reported. Also read | West Asia crisis: US, UK launch raids on Yemen's Sanaa and other areas Since Syria's civil war broke out in 2011, Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes in Syria, mainly targeting army positions and fighters, including from Hezbollah. The strikes have increased since Israel entered an all-out war with Hezbollah in Lebanon on September 23. Israeli authorities rarely comment on the strikes but have repeatedly said they will not allow arch-enemy Iran to expand its presence in Syria. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits for grammar and punctuation. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Israeli strike near Damascus leaves seven dead: War monitor

Israel’s military said that it struck several Syrian “military targets”, including Syrian army infrastructure and mortar launchers, early&nbsp;Wednesday (Oct 25) in what it described as a response to rocket launches from Syria towards Israel.&nbsp;

This comes hours after the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said two rockets were launched from Syria in&nbsp;northern Israel.&nbsp;

<h2>Israeli military strikes Syria</h2>

“IDF fighter jets struck military infrastructure and mortar launchers belonging to the Syrian Army in response to the launches toward Israel yesterday (Tuesday),”&nbsp;the IDF said in a statement.&nbsp;

An IDF spokesperson told AFP the strikes were inside Syria. However, the Israeli military did not provide further details.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-does-not-seek-war-with-iran-but-blinken-warns-tehran-650845">'US does not seek war with Iran, but...': Blinken warns Tehran</a>

<h2>Rocket launches from Syria</h2>

According to the IDF, the strikes were conducted in retaliation for two rocket launches from Syria towards Israeli communities in the occupied Golan Heights on Tuesday (Oct 24).&nbsp;

The reported rocket launches set off alarms in the Golan Heights communities of Neot Golan, Bnei Yehuda and Givat Yoav.

However, the IDF said that both projectiles landed in open areas. Subsequently, the Israeli forces responded with artillery shelling at the source of the fire in Syria.

So far, Israel has not accused the Syrian army of firing the two rockets while there was no immediate comment from Syria.

While&nbsp;Israel rarely comments on individual strikes it carries out on Syria, it has repeatedly said that it would not allow its arch-foe Iran to expand its presence there.

<h2>Is the Israel-Hamas war expanding?</h2>

The reported rocket launches from Syria come as Israel is in the midst of a war with Hamas after the Palestinian militant group launched a surprise attack against Israel on October 7.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-hamas-war-biden-saudi-crown-prince-discuss-efforts-to-prevent-conflict-from-expanding-650897">Israel-Hamas war: Biden, Saudi crown prince discuss efforts to prevent conflict from ‘expanding’</a>

Since the beginning of the war, Israel has also traded fire on its northern border with Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah and militants in Syria in recent days. This comes amid fears that the war may “expand” to the rest of the region.&nbsp;

During a debate at the United Nations Security Council, Iranian ambassador to the UN, Saeed Iravani accused the US of “wrongly placing the blame on Iran” for the rise in the region’s insecurity and said it was Washington’s “unwavering support for Israel” that is an “an active part of the problem.”

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-will-attacks-on-us-military-assets-in-west-asia-turn-israel-hamas-conflict-into-regional-war-650818">Explained | Will attacks on US military assets in West Asia turn Israel-Hamas conflict into regional war?</a>

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned Iran that Washington does not seek a conflict with Tehran, but would act swiftly and decisively if Iran or its proxies attack American personnel anywhere.&nbsp;

The US believes that Iran-sponsored proxies have been targeting the US military in the Middle East after Washington sent its US Navy destroyer near Israel and promised them more military aid.

(With inputs from agencies) 
 
 
&nbsp;

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

Israel’s military said that it struck several Syrian “military targets”, including Syrian army infrastructure and mortar launchers, early Wednesday (Oct 25) in what it described as a response to rocket launches from Syria towards Israel.

Israel’s military said that it struck several Syrian “military targets”, including Syrian army infrastructure and mortar launchers, early Wednesday (Oct 25) in what it described as a response to rocket launches from Syria towards Israel. This comes hours after the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said two rockets were launched from Syria in northern Israel. Israeli military strikes Syria “IDF fighter jets struck military infrastructure and mortar launchers belonging to the Syrian Army in response to the launches toward Israel yesterday (Tuesday),” the IDF said in a statement. An IDF spokesperson told AFP the strikes were inside Syria. However, the Israeli military did not provide further details. ALSO READ | 'US does not seek war with Iran, but...': Blinken warns Tehran Rocket launches from Syria According to the IDF, the strikes were conducted in retaliation for two rocket launches from Syria towards Israeli communities in the occupied Golan Heights on Tuesday (Oct 24). The reported rocket launches set off alarms in the Golan Heights communities of Neot Golan, Bnei Yehuda and Givat Yoav. However, the IDF said that both projectiles landed in open areas. Subsequently, the Israeli forces responded with artillery shelling at the source of the fire in Syria. So far, Israel has not accused the Syrian army of firing the two rockets while there was no immediate comment from Syria. While Israel rarely comments on individual strikes it carries out on Syria, it has repeatedly said that it would not allow its arch-foe Iran to expand its presence there. Is the Israel-Hamas war expanding? The reported rocket launches from Syria come as Israel is in the midst of a war with Hamas after the Palestinian militant group launched a surprise attack against Israel on October 7. ALSO READ | Israel-Hamas war: Biden, Saudi crown prince discuss efforts to prevent conflict from ‘expanding’ Since the beginning of the war, Israel has also traded fire on its northern border with Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah and militants in Syria in recent days. This comes amid fears that the war may “expand” to the rest of the region. During a debate at the United Nations Security Council, Iranian ambassador to the UN, Saeed Iravani accused the US of “wrongly placing the blame on Iran” for the rise in the region’s insecurity and said it was Washington’s “unwavering support for Israel” that is an “an active part of the problem.” ALSO READ | Explained | Will attacks on US military assets in West Asia turn Israel-Hamas conflict into regional war? US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned Iran that Washington does not seek a conflict with Tehran, but would act swiftly and decisively if Iran or its proxies attack American personnel anywhere. The US believes that Iran-sponsored proxies have been targeting the US military in the Middle East after Washington sent its US Navy destroyer near Israel and promised them more military aid. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Israel strikes 'military infrastructure' in Syria after rocket launches, says Israeli army

Israel's military said it conducted strikes after missiles were fired from Syria on Wednesday.&nbsp;

"In response to the anti-aircraft missile launched from Syria earlier tonight, we just struck surface-to-air missile targets in Syria, including radar &amp; anti-aircraft batteries," Israel's military said.

Syria activated its air defences around Damascus as Isreal launched attacks early on Wednesday. There were reports of rocket warning sirens in northern Israel as the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) carried out strikes against Syria.

Syria's SANA news agency claimed it had shot down some missiles, however, it hasn't been confirmed. Reports said at least one soldier was killed and five others wounded.

Syrian state TV said the missiles were fired from Golan Heights and Israel also carried out airstrikes.

Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes against targets in Syria against what it calls Iran-backed forces and Hezbollah fighters.

(With inputs from Agencies) 
&nbsp;

Israel's military said it conducted strikes after missiles were fired from Syria on Wednesday. "In response to the anti-aircraft missile launched from Syria earlier tonight, we just struck surface-to-air missile targets in Syria, including radar & anti-aircraft batteries," Israel's military said.

Israel's military said it conducted strikes after missiles were fired from Syria on Wednesday. "In response to the anti-aircraft missile launched from Syria earlier tonight, we just struck surface-to-air missile targets in Syria, including radar & anti-aircraft batteries," Israel's military said. Syria activated its air defences around Damascus as Isreal launched attacks early on Wednesday. There were reports of rocket warning sirens in northern Israel as the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) carried out strikes against Syria. Syria's SANA news agency claimed it had shot down some missiles, however, it hasn't been confirmed. Reports said at least one soldier was killed and five others wounded. Syrian state TV said the missiles were fired from Golan Heights and Israel also carried out airstrikes. Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes against targets in Syria against what it calls Iran-backed forces and Hezbollah fighters. (With inputs from Agencies)

Israel launches strikes against Syria after missile attack

Four civilians, including two children, were killed by Israeli strikes on the Syrian province of Hama at dawn on Friday, the Syrian state news agency SANA reported.

SANA cited a Syrian military source as saying that the country's air defences responded to Israeli missiles in the central province, "intercepting most" of them.

It later said "the Israeli aggression resulted in the martyrdom of a family, including a father, mother and two children", adding another four people were wounded and three houses destroyed on the western edges of Hama city.

Also read|<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/is-attack-kills-seven-regime-loyalists-in-eastern-syria-355768">&nbsp;IS attack kills seven regime loyalists in eastern Syria</a>

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the Israeli raids targeted Syrian military sites and resulted in the "destruction" of five of them in an area of Hama where Iran-backed fighters are present.

But the war monitor said the civilians were killed by "debris from one of the Syrian anti-aircraft defence missiles that fell on a house in a densely populated neighbourhood".

The Israeli army rarely acknowledges individual raids on Syria and refused to comment on the latest reports when contacted by AFP on Friday.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/at-unsc-india-warns-of-syrian-chemical-weapons-falling-into-the-hands-of-terrorists-354693">At UNSC, India warns of Syrian chemical weapons falling into the hands of terrorists</a>

Israeli strikes on eastern Syria killed 57 government and allied fighters on January 13, in the deadliest raids since the Jewish state launched its air assault on targets in the war-torn country, the Observatory said.

The Observatory is a Britain-based monitor that relies on sources on the ground in Syria for its reports.

Israel rarely confirms it has carried out strikes in Syria, but the army said it hit about 50 targets in the war-torn country in 2020, without providing details.

The Jewish state routinely carries out raids in Syria, mostly against targets linked to Iran in what it says is a bid to prevent its arch foe from consolidating a foothold on its northern border.

Four civilians, including two children, were killed by Israeli strikes on the Syrian province of Hama at dawn on Friday, the Syrian state news agency SANA reported.

Four civilians, including two children, were killed by Israeli strikes on the Syrian province of Hama at dawn on Friday, the Syrian state news agency SANA reported. SANA cited a Syrian military source as saying that the country's air defences responded to Israeli missiles in the central province, "intercepting most" of them. It later said "the Israeli aggression resulted in the martyrdom of a family, including a father, mother and two children", adding another four people were wounded and three houses destroyed on the western edges of Hama city. Also read| IS attack kills seven regime loyalists in eastern Syria The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the Israeli raids targeted Syrian military sites and resulted in the "destruction" of five of them in an area of Hama where Iran-backed fighters are present. But the war monitor said the civilians were killed by "debris from one of the Syrian anti-aircraft defence missiles that fell on a house in a densely populated neighbourhood". The Israeli army rarely acknowledges individual raids on Syria and refused to comment on the latest reports when contacted by AFP on Friday. Also read| At UNSC, India warns of Syrian chemical weapons falling into the hands of terrorists Israeli strikes on eastern Syria killed 57 government and allied fighters on January 13, in the deadliest raids since the Jewish state launched its air assault on targets in the war-torn country, the Observatory said. The Observatory is a Britain-based monitor that relies on sources on the ground in Syria for its reports. Israel rarely confirms it has carried out strikes in Syria, but the army said it hit about 50 targets in the war-torn country in 2020, without providing details. The Jewish state routinely carries out raids in Syria, mostly against targets linked to Iran in what it says is a bid to prevent its arch foe from consolidating a foothold on its northern border.

Israeli strikes kill 4 civilians in Syria: State media

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/we-carried-out-strikes-on-irans-quds-force-syrian-targets-israel-army-263308">Israeli army </a>carried out a "wide-scale" attack against Iranian forces and Syrian army targets in Syria Wednesday, killing at least 11 fighters, the Israeli army and a monitoring group said.&nbsp;

In a rare confirmation of their operations in Syria, the Israeli army said they carried out dozens on strikes against the Iranian elite Quds Force and the Syrian military, in response to four rockets fired at Israel a day before.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/israel-military-confirms-attack-on-syria-after-4-rocket-fired-by-syria-263330/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

At least eleven "fighters" were killed in the strikes, said Britain-based monitoring group the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).

Seven were foreigners, its head Rami Abdel Rahman said, though he could not confirm whether they were all Iranian. Four civilians were also wounded, he added.

Iran has fought alongside Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces in the country's eight-year civil war, heightening Israeli concern over the presence of its arch foe along its border.

"Whoever hurts us, we will hurt him," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement.

"This is what we did overnight vis-a-vis military targets of the Iranian Quds Force and Syrian military targets in Syria after a barrage of rockets was launched at Israel."

The Israeli army said they had targeted around a dozen military sites, including warehouses and military command centres.

"It was very intense," spokesman Jonathan Conricus told AFP said.

The most important target, he said, was a control facility at the main international airport in Damascus.

"It is the main building that serves the (Iranian) Revolutionary Guards... for coordinating the logistic facilities of transport of military hardware from Iran to Syria and from Syria onwards," he said.

'Heavy attack'&nbsp;

Israel has carried out frequent air and missile strikes against Iranian targets inside Syria since the country descended into civil war in 2011 but rarely comments on them.

On Tuesday four rockets were fired at Israel from Syria, with the army blaming an "Iranian force".

Israel's Iron Dome missile defence system intercepted the rockets.

Conricus said it was the sixth time Iranian forces had attacked Israel directly in recent years, most recently in August.

The Israeli attack Wednesday began in the early hours, with a series of large explosions rocking Damascus, an AFP correspondent in the city said.

Syria's state media SANA said Syrian anti-aircraft defences responded to a "heavy attack" by Israeli warplanes over the capital.

The Israeli army confirmed missiles were fired towards its jets but denied any were hit.

In response to the fire, it said, "a number of Syrian aerial defence batteries were destroyed".

"We hold the Syrian regime responsible for the actions that take place in Syrian territory and warn them against allowing further attacks against Israel," the army said.

SANA added that the strikes were carried out from "Lebanese and Palestinian territories". Israel sometimes launches its attacks on Syria from planes flying over neighbouring Lebanon.

Syria's civil war has been complicated by the involvement of multiple foreign powers, with Russian, Iranian and US forces on the ground backing various parties.

Flare-up&nbsp;

The SOHR monitoring group said Tuesday's rockets were fired from positions around the Syrian capital held by groups loyal to the Damascus government.

The flare-up follows a major escalation in and around Gaza last week when Israel killed a top commander of Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad, which is allied with Damascus.

The killing was accompanied by a second strike, unconfirmed by Israel, on an Islamic Jihad leader in Damascus that killed his son and another person.

The hundreds of strikes carried out by Israel in Syria have mostly been against Iranian targets or positions of Iran's Lebanese ally, Shiite militant group Hezbollah.

Both are sworn enemies of the Jewish state and have backed the Syrian president's forces with advisers and fighters.

The war in Syria has killed more than 370,000 people and displaced millions.

The Israeli army carried out a "wide-scale" attack against Iranian forces and Syrian army targets in Syria Wednesday, killing at least 11 fighters, the Israeli army and a monitoring group said.

The Israeli army carried out a "wide-scale" attack against Iranian forces and Syrian army targets in Syria Wednesday, killing at least 11 fighters, the Israeli army and a monitoring group said. In a rare confirmation of their operations in Syria, the Israeli army said they carried out dozens on strikes against the Iranian elite Quds Force and the Syrian military, in response to four rockets fired at Israel a day before. At least eleven "fighters" were killed in the strikes, said Britain-based monitoring group the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR). Seven were foreigners, its head Rami Abdel Rahman said, though he could not confirm whether they were all Iranian. Four civilians were also wounded, he added. Iran has fought alongside Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces in the country's eight-year civil war, heightening Israeli concern over the presence of its arch foe along its border. "Whoever hurts us, we will hurt him," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement. "This is what we did overnight vis-a-vis military targets of the Iranian Quds Force and Syrian military targets in Syria after a barrage of rockets was launched at Israel." The Israeli army said they had targeted around a dozen military sites, including warehouses and military command centres. "It was very intense," spokesman Jonathan Conricus told AFP said. The most important target, he said, was a control facility at the main international airport in Damascus. "It is the main building that serves the (Iranian) Revolutionary Guards... for coordinating the logistic facilities of transport of military hardware from Iran to Syria and from Syria onwards," he said. 'Heavy attack' Israel has carried out frequent air and missile strikes against Iranian targets inside Syria since the country descended into civil war in 2011 but rarely comments on them. On Tuesday four rockets were fired at Israel from Syria, with the army blaming an "Iranian force". Israel's Iron Dome missile defence system intercepted the rockets. Conricus said it was the sixth time Iranian forces had attacked Israel directly in recent years, most recently in August. The Israeli attack Wednesday began in the early hours, with a series of large explosions rocking Damascus, an AFP correspondent in the city said. Syria's state media SANA said Syrian anti-aircraft defences responded to a "heavy attack" by Israeli warplanes over the capital. The Israeli army confirmed missiles were fired towards its jets but denied any were hit. In response to the fire, it said, "a number of Syrian aerial defence batteries were destroyed". "We hold the Syrian regime responsible for the actions that take place in Syrian territory and warn them against allowing further attacks against Israel," the army said. SANA added that the strikes were carried out from "Lebanese and Palestinian territories". Israel sometimes launches its attacks on Syria from planes flying over neighbouring Lebanon. Syria's civil war has been complicated by the involvement of multiple foreign powers, with Russian, Iranian and US forces on the ground backing various parties. Flare-up The SOHR monitoring group said Tuesday's rockets were fired from positions around the Syrian capital held by groups loyal to the Damascus government. The flare-up follows a major escalation in and around Gaza last week when Israel killed a top commander of Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad, which is allied with Damascus. The killing was accompanied by a second strike, unconfirmed by Israel, on an Islamic Jihad leader in Damascus that killed his son and another person. The hundreds of strikes carried out by Israel in Syria have mostly been against Iranian targets or positions of Iran's Lebanese ally, Shiite militant group Hezbollah. Both are sworn enemies of the Jewish state and have backed the Syrian president's forces with advisers and fighters. The war in Syria has killed more than 370,000 people and displaced millions.

Israeli strikes in Syria kill 11 fighters: Monitor

Israel launched strikes on southern Syria late Saturday, a war monitor said, prompting air defences into action for the second night in a row.

"Israeli aeroplanes fired at least three missiles from the occupied Golan," said Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Two of the strikes targeted a Syrian army brigade which supervises the country's Quneitra province, he told AFP, while the third missile was destroyed by Syrian defences.

Syria's official SANA news agency reported "foreign objects coming from the occupied territories (Israel)" which Syrian air defences were "dealing with".

The Israeli military did not comment on the reported strikes when approached by AFP.

The strikes come a day after Syrian air defence systems intercepted projectiles coming from Israel, SANA reported.

The "hostile targets" were fired late Friday towards Quneitra province which lies close to the Golan Heights, parts of which are annexed by Israel.

Hundreds of strikes have been carried out by Israel in Syria, most of them against what it says are Iranian and Hezbollah targets.

Israel says it is determined to prevent its arch-foe Iran from entrenching itself militarily in Syria, where Tehran backs President Bashar al-Assad in the country's eight-year war.

Israel insists that it has the right to continue to target positions in Syria held by Iran and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah.

Israel launched strikes on southern Syria late Saturday, a war monitor said, prompting air defences into action for the second night in a row. "Israeli aeroplanes fired at least three missiles from the occupied Golan," said Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Israel launched strikes on southern Syria late Saturday, a war monitor said, prompting air defences into action for the second night in a row. "Israeli aeroplanes fired at least three missiles from the occupied Golan," said Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Two of the strikes targeted a Syrian army brigade which supervises the country's Quneitra province, he told AFP, while the third missile was destroyed by Syrian defences. Syria's official SANA news agency reported "foreign objects coming from the occupied territories (Israel)" which Syrian air defences were "dealing with". The Israeli military did not comment on the reported strikes when approached by AFP. The strikes come a day after Syrian air defence systems intercepted projectiles coming from Israel, SANA reported. The "hostile targets" were fired late Friday towards Quneitra province which lies close to the Golan Heights, parts of which are annexed by Israel. Hundreds of strikes have been carried out by Israel in Syria, most of them against what it says are Iranian and Hezbollah targets. Israel says it is determined to prevent its arch-foe Iran from entrenching itself militarily in Syria, where Tehran backs President Bashar al-Assad in the country's eight-year war. Israel insists that it has the right to continue to target positions in Syria held by Iran and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah.

Israel strikes southern Syria: War monitor

Twenty-three fighters, including five Syrian regime troops and 18 other allied forces, were killed in Israeli strikes on several areas of Syria overnight, a monitor said on Thursday.

An officer was among the regime troops killed in the strikes and the casualties included foreigners, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

Areas near Damascus and in the southwest of Syria were among the targets, the Observatory said.

The strikes "caused human losses in a number of the targeted areas", it said, adding the death toll was likely to rise.

Israel's army said it hit dozens of Iranian military targets in Syria.

The Russian defence ministry, whose country has forces in Syria supporting the regime, said 28 Israeli warplanes took part in the raids and around 70 missiles were fired.

Israel said it targeted Syrian positions after rocket fire towards its forces in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights that it blamed on Iran.

A senior military pro-regime source in Syria confirmed the salvo of rockets, but insisted Israel fired first.

The strikes come after the Syrian army said on late Tuesday that it had intercepted two Israeli missiles, while the Observatory said eight Iranians were among 15 foreign pro-regime fighters killed in that attack.

Since the start of Syria's civil war in 2011, Israel has repeatedly targeted positions of the Syrian army and Lebanon's Shiite movement Hezbollah backing it inside the country.

Areas near Damascus and in the southwest of Syria were among the targets, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said

Twenty-three fighters, including five Syrian regime troops and 18 other allied forces, were killed in Israeli strikes on several areas of Syria overnight, a monitor said on Thursday. An officer was among the regime troops killed in the strikes and the casualties included foreigners, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Areas near Damascus and in the southwest of Syria were among the targets, the Observatory said. The strikes "caused human losses in a number of the targeted areas", it said, adding the death toll was likely to rise. Israel's army said it hit dozens of Iranian military targets in Syria. The Russian defence ministry, whose country has forces in Syria supporting the regime, said 28 Israeli warplanes took part in the raids and around 70 missiles were fired. Israel said it targeted Syrian positions after rocket fire towards its forces in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights that it blamed on Iran. A senior military pro-regime source in Syria confirmed the salvo of rockets, but insisted Israel fired first. The strikes come after the Syrian army said on late Tuesday that it had intercepted two Israeli missiles, while the Observatory said eight Iranians were among 15 foreign pro-regime fighters killed in that attack. Since the start of Syria's civil war in 2011, Israel has repeatedly targeted positions of the Syrian army and Lebanon's Shiite movement Hezbollah backing it inside the country.

23 fighters dead in Israel strikes on Syria: Monitor