Home Business Syrian military says air defences intercepted ‘Israeli aggression’ over Damascus By Reuters

Syrian military says air defences intercepted ‘Israeli aggression’ over Damascus By Reuters

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© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: A Syrian flag flutters in Damascus

By Suleiman Al-Khalidi

AMMAN (Reuters) – Syria’s military stated on Monday the nation’s air defences had intercepted “Israeli aggression” over the capital, Damascus, within the newest stepped-up bombing of Iranian targets contained in the nation during the last two months.

The Israeli navy, which simply started a shock air power fight drill alongside the nation’s northern border, stated “it didn’t touch upon overseas studies,” in accordance with a spokeswoman.

Syrian state media didn’t give particulars of what was hit by the Israeli air power. Israeli navy planes flew over the Golan Heights to hit targets on the sting of the capital, a military assertion stated, with out mentioning casualties however including air defences downed a lot of the missiles.

“Our air defences are persevering with to repel the Israeli missile assaults over the skies of the capital,” the Syrian military stated in a press release.

A Syrian navy defector stated the bombing raids hit a significant military division within the city of Kiswa, nearly 14 km (8.7 miles) south of the capital, in a sprawling space the place Iranian-backed militias have a dominant presence.

Witnesses heard massive explosions on the southern fringe of Damascus, an space the place Iranian-backed militias are entrenched, residents stated.

Israeli officers have acknowledged finishing up assaults inside Syria geared toward ending Tehran’s entrenched navy presence in Syria.

Army chief of employees Aviv Kochavi stated on the finish of final yr that Israeli missile strikes had “slowed down Iran’s entrenchment in Syria,” hitting greater than 500 targets in 2020.

The military stated on Monday that throughout the shock drill, which can final till Wednesday, there could be a rise of air site visitors all through the nation and that explosions could possibly be heard in northern Israel.

It stated the “train simulates fight situations within the northern entrance, and can take a look at all parts within the (air power’s) core missions, together with sustaining aerial superiority, defending the nation’s skies, in addition to attacking and gathering intelligence.”

Western intelligence sources say Iran’s navy affect has expanded in Syria lately, prompting Israel to escalate its marketing campaign to stop its arch rival from establishing a significant navy foothold alongside its border.

Iran’s proxy militias, led by Lebanon’s Hezbollah, now maintain sway over huge areas in japanese, southern and northwestern Syria, in addition to a number of suburbs round Damascus. Additionally they management Lebanese-Syrian border areas.

Israel, which within the final two months staged a few of its largest strikes but inside Syria, has targeting Al Bukamal, the Syrian metropolis that controls the border checkpoint on the primary Baghdad-Damascus freeway.

The widening navy marketing campaign was a part of a so-called “marketing campaign inside wars”, which, in accordance with Israeli generals and regional intelligence sources, have been tacitly accepted by the US.

The operations that purpose to stop Tehran from altering the stability of energy in Syria in its favour have step by step eroded Iran’s intensive navy energy with out triggering a significant enhance in hostilities, regional intelligence sources say.