Israel hits Syria's capital, Homs in airstrike: Regime

By Ethem Emre Ozcan

ANKARA (AA) - Syria's Assad regime claimed that Israeli forces late Tuesday launched attacks on the capital Damascus and central city of Homs, according to the regime's state news agency.

The Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) claimed that Israel launched airstrikes on Damascus, with loud sounds heard across the city.

The agency reported that Syria's air defense systems were fighting back hostile targets from Israel.

Al-Ikhbaria, the regime's TV channel, reported a similar Israeli attack on Homs from the direction of Lebanon.

Israeli authorities have so far issued no statement on the reported attacks.

Along with the Assad regime army, foreign terrorist groups under Iran's Revolutionary Guard have military posts in Damascus and Homs.

In previous claimed airstrikes, the Assad regime said Israel launched airstrikes on a rural region west of Damascus last Dec. 30, the southern part of the capital on Jan. 7, the eastern Deir ez-Zur province on Jan. 13, the southwestern province of Quneitra on Feb. 4, and Damascus on Feb. 15, Feb. 28, and March 17.

A May 5 attack by Israeli forces on western Syria killed a civilian and left six others injured, including a child.

On May 14, officials from Israeli army reported that three rockets were fired from Syria toward northern Israel.

For years, Israel has been targeting the sites of the Syrian regime forces and Iranian sites in the country.

Israel rarely claims responsibility for its attacks there.

* Writing by Dilan Pamuk in Ankara