[IsraelTimes] Important military airport, installations near Damascus reportedly bombed; several Hezbollah fighters killed, sources say.Israeli airstrikes hit an important Syrian regime military airport in Damascus, the pro-Hezbollah Lebanese news network Al Mayadeen claimed Wednesday.
According to the report, the planes struck the Mezzeh Military Airport, located in a suburb of Damascus, around 4 a.m..
Other Arabic media, including al Jazeera and al Arabiya, confirmed that a large explosion had occurred at the airport. Some reports say the fire was caused because a weapons depot exploded.
The Al Mayadeen report noted there had been no official confirmation from the Syrian regime that Israel was responsible, but added “it was almost certain” the explosion was due to IAF airstrikes carried out from Lebanese air space.
A video of the explosion at the airport spread through social media.
| Video can be seen at the link. |
Some of the reports, citing eyewitnesses, said Israeli fighter planes were responsible for the airstrikes, in the town of al-Zabadani. However, official Hezbollah and Syrian regime sources didn’t initially blame Israel for that attack.
Israeli officials wouldn’t comment on the reports.
The Kurdish website ARA News, citing an eyewitness, said the alleged Israeli airstrikes Tuesday night struck guided missile sites belonging to Hezbollah. The source told ARA the airstrikes caused “great damage” and killed and injured a number of Hezbollah fighters. The injured were scrambled to hospitals in nearby towns, the report said.
The reported airstrikes come exactly a week after the official website of the Syrian government Sana accused Israel of carrying out bombing raids near Damascus.
| A subsequent Israel Times article quotes the official Syrian government news agency SANA accusing Israel of launching surface-to-surface missiles from the Golan Heights at the Mezzah military airport, where the Syrian air force intelligence service is headquartered alongside a prison. |
[IsraelTimes] In rare admission defense minister tells EU ambassadors IAF active in Syria, says peace with Palestinians far off.