Syrian air defenses respond to 'Israeli aggression,' explosions heard over Hama countryside

RT
Thu, 24 Dec 2020 23:19 UTC

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Blasts in Syria

Syria's air defenses have been activated to repel a suspected 'Israeli attack' in Hama Governorate, as the country's state media report blasts in the skies over Masyaf.

The alleged strikes came on Friday morning, in the early hours of Christmas Day, according to the Syrian Arab News Agency. The attack reportedly targeted military sites near the city of Masyaf, located some 23 miles (37km) west of Hama. Unconfirmed footage of Syria's defenses in action has circulated online.

Soon after the strikes on Syria, videos purporting to show Israeli warplanes flying low over Beirut, Lebanon also surfaced on social media. Though the IDF has not confirmed Friday's strikes, Israeli operations have previously been conducted from Lebanese airspace.

On Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to deliver a "crushing blow" to "whoever tries to harm us," singling out both Iran and Syria by name.

"We will continue to act against attempts by Iran and its proxies to establish military bases in Syria. We will not compromise on this issue," Netanyahu said, echoing Tel Aviv's long-held position that it reserves the right to strike 'Iranian targets' regardless of where they are located.

Comment: Israeli strike is responsible for deaths and destruction:

A British-based group monitoring the Syrian conflict says at least six Iran-backed fighters have been killed in an Israeli rocket attack in central Syria.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on December 25 that the Israeli attack launched in the province of Hama also destroyed depots and rocket-manufacturing facilities belonging to pro-Iranian militias.

Earlier, the official Syrian news agency SANA reported that Israeli rockets had targeted the area of Masyaf in rural Hama. The agency, citing a military source, added that Syrian air defenses had intercepted the "hostile" rockets and destroyed most of them.

SANA did not report any casualties nor damage resulting from the reported attack. State television aired footage purporting to show air defenses responding to the attack. There has been no comment from Israel, which rarely confirms details of its operations in Syria.

Israel has carried out more than 30 air strikes on targets across Syria so far in the present year, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Israel is facing another election. Like clockwork, 'indispensable' Netanyahu increases aggression during such times in order to shore up public, military and Knesset support.

See also: Israel calls 4th election in 2 years as unity government collapses