ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - At least two Syrian soldiers were wounded as a result of Israeli missile strikes early Thursday targeting the vicinity of the capital Damascus, reported Syrian state media (SANA).
The missiles came from the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights in southwest Syria in the early hours of Thursday, injuring two soldiers and causing material damage, said SANA citing an unnamed military source, adding that the Syrian air defenses had intercepted a number of the missiles.
UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that the strikes targeted positions of Iran-affiliated forces, destroying at least one of the sites.
Israel has carried out hundreds of airstrikes on regime-controlled areas of Syria throughout its 11-year civil war, often claiming to target pro-Iran militias, such as Lebanon's Hezbollah group which supports the Syrian army.
Israeli airstrikes targeted a weapon depot within the vicinity of Aleppo airport belonging to Iranian-backed fighters last week.
Israel rarely comments on airstrikes attributed to it in Syria but it has repeatedly warned that it would not tolerate an increase in Iranian presence.
Iran and Israel have been engaged in a shadow war consisting of long-running covert attacks on Iranian military and nuclear facilities, as well as sabotage and cyber-attacks. Iranian fighters are also frequently targeted in suspected Israeli strikes in Syria.
Updated at 11:18am
