Israel missiles hit Damascus

TARGET NEAR AIRPORT: Russia calls for restraint

Damascus: Syria accused Israel of firing several missiles on Thursday at a military position near Damascus airport, triggering a huge explosion and prompting a call from regime ally Russia for restraint.

Israel has carried out multiple air strikes in Syria since the country’s civil war erupted in 2011, most of which it has said targeted arms convoys or warehouses of its Lebanese arch-foe Hizbullah, which is a key supporter of the Syrian regime.

In line with its usual practice, Israel’s military declined to comment on the latest blast.

But Israeli Intelligence Minister Yisrael Katz said it was consistent with his government’s policy to prevent arms transfers to Hizbullah, while stopping short of confirming his country was behind any attack.

Syria’s state news agency SANA said several Israeli missiles hit near the airport causing material damage.

“A military position southwest of Damascus International Airport was targeted at dawn today by an Israeli aggression using several missiles fired from occupied territory, sparking explosions in the area,” SANA said.

In the terminology of the Syrian regime, occupied territory can refer to Israel inside its borders.

The source did not specify whether the military position belonged to the Syrian army or one of its allies. Earlier, Hizbullah said the blast was “probably” the result of an Israeli air strike. The Lebanese group’s Al Manar television said the raid hit a warehouse and fuel tanks, without specifying whether they were its own or belonged to the Syrian army or another of its allies. Al Manar said preliminary reports suggested the blast caused only material damage and no casualties.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitoring group, said the warehouse was largely empty and “probably” belonged to Hizbullah.

A resident of the Dawwar al Baytara neighbourhood in the southeast of the capital, who lives in a tower block that looks towards the airport area, said he had seen an immense fireball.

“Around 4:00 am (0100 GMT), I heard an enormous explosion,” Maytham, 47, said.

“I ran to the balcony and looking towards the south, in the direction of the airport, I saw a huge fireball,” he said.

“There was a power cut and it was pitch black, and the fireball was clearly visible.”

In Moscow, the Kremlin called for restraint and the foreign ministry condemned the attack. “We continue to consider that all countries need to refrain from any kind of actions that lead to an increase in tension in this already restive region and call for respect of the sovereignty of Syria,” Kremlin spokesman said. — Reuters