The Syrian army command has raised a set of accusations against Israel, claiming that the accused has fired rockets at a major military airport west of Damascus. Syria went on to warn that there would be repercussions as a result of these acts.
While quoting the army, Syrian state television said that numerous rockets had been fired from an area near Lake Tiberias in northern Israel some few minutes past midnight. These rockets landed inside the airport compound, a major training ground for the elite Republican Guards, reports BBC News.
Through a statement, the army command said that they had issued a warning to Israel regarding the “repercussions of the flagrant attack” and insisted that it would continue to wage war against “terrorism and amputate the arms of the perpetrators.”
Even though this statement did not lay bare whether some casualties had resulted in the incident, it said it caused fire.
According to video footage making rounds on social media, one can see large volleys of fire emanating from various sections in the airport’s compound. One can also see a huge plume of smoke when observing the airport from the neighboring areas.
The state television had said earlier on that major explosions had hit Mezzeh military airport compound near Damascus and that ambulances had been rushed to the area. However, it gave no further details.
In the past, the Israeli government hasn’t declined or admitted that it conducts military exercises in Syria.
It has from time and again raised attacks against the Hezbollah group inside Syria. This Iranian-backed group is deeply involved in fighting alongside the Syrian army.
Samir Qantar, a prominent Hezbollah leader was killed in a December 2015 airstrike. Israel welcomed his death and said that he was organizing attacks on it from the Syrian soil. Just like they are used to, Israel again did not confirm or decline any role in his death.
At the start of this year, Israel conducted an airstrike in Syria, killing 6 Hezbollah members. Among those killed was “a commander and the son of late military chief Imad Moughniyah, near the Golan Heights,” reports Radionz.
The defense officials in Israel have expressed fear that Hezbollah’s continued engagement in the Syrian conflict has helped strengthen the group. Hezbollah is praised for having significantly assisted the Syrian army regain the eastern sector of the city of Aleppo.
The area rebels explain that Hezbollah mainly gets its arms from the Lebanese border into Damascus. This is an area that has had frequent airstrikes in recent years. All these airstrikes are neither confirmed nor disapproved by Tel Aviv.
