DAMASCUS (Xinhua) – Syria has intercepted Zionists missiles in its central coast region, state news agency SANA has reported.
Explosions were heard late on Friday in the Syrian coast cities of Banyas, Tartous, and Jableh in northwestern province of Hama, according to the report, adding most of the missiles were intercepted before reaching their targets.
While most of the missiles were reportedly intercepted by Syria’s defense systems, at least five people were killed and seven others were wounded, including a child.
A report in Lebanon-based Al-Mayadeen cited Syria’s defense ministry as saying that the occupying regime carried out the aggression from the direction of the sea, eyeing targets in the central region.
It said the Syrian air defense systems intercepted most of the missiles and shot them down.
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Israeli aircraft fired at least eight missiles toward Masyaf, which led to several fires. Ambulances were seen rushing to the area, it added.
The monitoring body said it was the 12th attack by the Zionist regime on Syrian territory since the start of the year.
Syria and the Zionist regime are effectively at war due to the latter’s illegal occupation of Syria’s Golan Heights since 1967, resulting in frequent escalations.
The Tel Aviv regime has repeatedly targeted the positions of the Syrian army and its allies.
The aerial bombardment intensified in scale and frequency after 2011 when the Arab country found itself in the grip of foreign-backed militancy and terrorism.
Damascus says Tel Aviv carries out attacks on the Arab country to aid terrorist groups against the Syrian army. It has repeatedly complained to the United Nations, calling the aggression a blatant violation of the country’s sovereignty and international law.
The regime has in the past provided safe passage and medical treatment to terrorists operating on Syrian soil.