Syrian Air Defenses Respond to Israeli Missile Attack

The Syrian air defenses responded to Israeli missile attack after midnight in the southern province of Qunaitera, state TV reported early Thursday.

The event took place amid heightened tensions after the Israelis fired rockets on military positions in Qunaitera, and after rockets slammed Israeli military sites in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

The state TV said Israel fired rockets on a military position in the al-Baath City and Khan Arnabeh in Qunaitera, ahead of the fresh wave of missile attack.

The TV said no losses were reported from the Israeli strike on Qunaitera while the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the Israeli shelling targeted military positions of Syria and its allies near al-Baath.

The latest tension came a day after Israel targeted a Syrian military site in the Kisweh area in the southwestern countryside of the capital Damascus. Activists said 15 people were killed, including eight Iranians.

Last month, the Israelis targeted two military sites in Syria where Iranian fighters were located, including the T-4 airbase in central Syria.

The Israeli attack came amid heightened tensions with Iran, following Israeli attacks last month on Syrian positions where Iranian military experts were located. It also followed the U.S. announcement of withdrawal from the international nuclear deal with Iran. (Xinhua)