Syrian state media report Israeli airstrikes near Damascus

Associated Press

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Syrian state media say Israel is staging airstrikes in the Damascus area. Loud explosions were heard over the Syrian capital around 1:30 a.m. Thursday. The SANA state news agency says Syrian air defenses are “confronting hostile targets.” No casualties have been reported. Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes on targets inside government-controlled parts of Syria in recent years, including attacks on the Damascus and Aleppo airports. Israel rarely acknowledges specific operations, but says it targets bases of Iran-allied militant groups, such as Lebanon’s Hezbollah, which has sent thousands of fighters to support Syrian President Bashar Assad’s forces. An Israeli airstrike last week put the airport at the northern city of Aleppo out of commission for two days.