Syria Says Its Air Defences Responded to Attack Near Capital Damascus

Syrian air defences responded to an attack near the capital on Friday, state media reported.

Air defence systems confronted “hostile targets in the vicinity of Damascus”, official news agency SANA reported without providing further details.

While the source of the attack was not immediately specified, SANA often refers to Israel in initial reports of “hostile” strikes.

Israel has launched hundreds of air strikes on Syria since civil war broke out in the country in 2011, and has stepped up its campaign against Iran-backed forces in its northern neighbour since its war with Hamas in Gaza began on October 7.

Israel rarely comments on individual strikes in Syria but has said repeatedly that it will not allow Iran to expand its presence.