BALADI NEWS
An Israeli missile attack targeted Syrian military positions held by the government and its allies early on Wednesday, July 24, Syria’s state news agency said.
The airstrike hit Tall al-Hara region in the Daraa province, south of Damascus, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
"The regime's anti-aircraft defense has been activated to counter the attack," director of the Britain-based Observatory Rami Abdel Rahman said.
"Some missiles have been shot down, others have hit their target."
The Observatory reported "loss of life" without giving further details.
Israel has carried out hundreds of air strikes in Syria since the beginning of its conflict in 2011, targeting forces loyal to regime leader Bashar Assad and his allies Iran and Hezbollah.
Israeli strikes have previously targeted Tall al-Hara where Hezbollah has installed a radar system and the regime has erected anti-aircraft batteries, according to the Observatory.
Israel says it is determined to prevent its arch-foe Iran from entrenching itself militarily in Syria, where Tehran backs Assad.
Israel insists that it has the right to continue to target positions held by Iran and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah out of self-defense.
Tall al-Hara is a strategically located area in southern Daraa province overlooking the Israeli-held Golan Heights. It was for many years a major Russian military radar outpost until opposition factions took it over in 2014 before it was again recaptured by the regime last year.
Source: Asharq AL-Awsat.