Syria: At least 15 killed as Israeli missile strikes building in Damascus

An Israeli missile struck a building in Syria’s capital Damascus that was housing senior security officials, killing at least 15 people on Sunday.The targeted strike hit the densely-populated Kafr Sousa, home to senior officials, security agencies and intelligence headquarters."At 00:22 am (2222 GMT), theIsraeli enemy carried out anaerial aggression from the direction of the occupied Golan Heights targeting several areas in Damascus and its vicinity,including residential neighbourhoods,"Syria's defence ministry said in a statement.

The initial toll reported by the Syrian government was five dead and 15 injured, including civilians. Later, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights pegged the casualties at15, reports AFP news agency.

It was not immediately clear whether the strike was aimed at a specific individual.

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A video shared by state media purportedly showed that a 10-storey building was badly damaged in the attack, crushing the structure of its lower floors.

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The Sunday strike comes more than a month after an Israeli missile strike had hit Damascus International Airport, killing four people, including two soldiers.

Israel has been carrying out hundreds of air strikes against its neighbour since the beginning of the Syrian war in 2011. It has primarily targeted Syrian army installations, Iranian forces and Lebanon's Hezbollah, allies of the Syrian regime.

It is believed that these attacks are part of an escalation of what has been a low-intensity conflict whose main aim was to slow down Iran’s growing entrenchment in Syria.

So far, Israel's military has not made any comment on the missile strike.

Iran has been expanding its military presence in Syria over the years and now has a foothold in most state-controlled areas, with thousands of militias and local paramilitary groups under its command, say Western intelligence sources.

In recent months,Israel has also intensified strikes on airports and air bases in Syria to disrupt Iran's increasing use of aerial supply lines to deliver arms to allies in Syria and Lebanon, including Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah.

The missile attackcomes at a time when Syriais recovering from the devastating February 6 earthquake, which killed several thousands of people.

(With inputs from agencies)

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