Israel 'bombs Syria regime positions near Damascus': report

Israel carried out airstrikes on Syrian regime positions near the capital Damascus late on Thursday, regime news agency SANA said, without reporting any casualties.

"An Israeli air raid targeted certain positions near Damascus," it said, adding that many explosions were heard in the area.

Citing a military source, SANA said Syrian air defences had shot down "some" of the missiles fired. It said the strikes only caused physical damage but did not specify further.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the Israelis attacked military positions southwest of the capital.

A pro-regime allied commander denied to Reuters that Thursday's strikes had hit their positions.

There was no immediate comment from the Israeli authorities.

Since war broke out in Syria in 2011, Israel has carried out hundreds of airstrikes inside the country, targeting regime positions as well as allied Iran-backed forces and fighters of Lebanon's Shia militant group Hezbollah.

While Israel rarely comments on individual strikes, it has acknowledged mounting hundreds since 2011.

The conflict in Syria has claimed around 500,000 lives, ravaged infrastructure and displaced millions.

(AFP, Reuters)