Israel missiles target empty warehouse near Damascus, no casualties reported, says Syria

Two projectiles fired by Israel targetted empty warehouses in the south of Syria's capital city Damascus on Wednesday, as per Syrian state media reports. The Israeli forces in the Golan Heights carried out the attack around 12:45 am (local time). However, there no casualties have been reported so far and the Syrian Defence Forces intercepted one of the missiles, which the Israeli defence officials and analysts dismissed as "empty boasts", Times of Israel reported.

"One of the hostile missiles was shot down, and no losses were caused," SANA reported.

The said attack on Syria was the third from Israel in a week and a half and in less than six months. The targeted firing came amidst escalated concern over the proliferation of surface-to-air projectiles manufactured by Iran. Meanwhile, Syria has also improved air defence systems, which has hindered Israel Defence Forces (IDF) operations over Syria, said a report by Times of Israel. Meanwhile, there was no comment from Israel, maintaining its ambiguity regarding IDF's activities in Syria.

Since the inception of the Syrian Civil war in 2011, IDF has rained hundreds of missile and air attacks targetting militant hideouts, defining it to be "Iran's entrenchment" in the country, Sputnik reported. Additionally, the Jewish State has also fired missiles at suspected arms shipments believed to be en route to Lebanon's Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militant group and strong supporter of the Syrian government. Damascus has repeatedly decried the attacks, appealing to the international community to hold Israel responsible for it.

Most recent attacks

Earlier on 9 November, Israel carried out airstrikes on Syria's western and central provinces, wounding two soldiers and causing heavy material damage in the area. As per SANA, Israeli warplanes fired projectiles while climbing over neighbouring Lebanon on Monday night. The Syrian air defences had reportedly shot down most of the missiles without adding further clarification.

On 3 November, SANA had also reported Syrian Air Defenses intercepted several "hostile targets" over the countryside after explosions were heard over the city of Homs and coastal city of Tartous. "At about 7:16 pm (local time) this evening, the Israeli enemy carried out an air attack from the direction of North of Beirut," SANA reported citing the military statement. The incident took place after two Syrian soldiers were killed and three others wounded in an aerial air raid near the eastern countryside of Homs in Palmyra earlier.

On 31 October, Syrian Air defences responded to two missiles fired from Israel towards Damascus. The area houses arms depots for Lebanon's Hezbollah group and positions of the Syrian military. Quoting a military official under conditions of anonymity, state news agency SANA mentioned that the air defences shot down several "surface-to-surface" missiles incoming from northern Israel.

(Image: AP)