This is the location map of Syria and its capital Damascus. (AP Photo)
Beirut (AP) — Israel launched an attack on Damascus International Airport and a military post near the Syrian capital, killing five soldiers, state media reported on Saturday.
National News Agency SANA quoted a military official who asked not to be named as saying that the strike occurred after midnight on Friday and also caused "material losses." It added that some Israeli missiles were shot down before reaching their target.
Opposition war monitors and UK-based Syrian Human Rights Watch said the attack killed five Syrian soldiers and two members of Iranian support groups.
Israeli army declined to comment, saying it did not respond to "foreign reports."
The strike at Damascus International Airport came 10 days after Israel launched a missile strike on Aleppo Airport in northern Syria, which was unavailable for a few days. This is the second attack on Aleppo airport in a week.
On June 10, Israel's air strike on Damascus International Airport caused significant damage to the infrastructure and the runway, causing the main runway to become unusable. The airport will be open two weeks after renovation.
In recent years, Israel has carried out hundreds of attacks on targets within the Syrian government-controlled areas, but such actions are rarely recognized or discussed.
However, Israel acknowledged its goal is to bases of militant groups that are aligned with Iran, such as Hezbollah in Lebanon, which has sent thousands of fighters to support the forces of Syrian President Bashar Assad.
Israel's strike took place in a wider shadow war between the country and Iran. The attacks on Damascus and Aleppo airports were due to fears it would be used to deliver Iranian weapons to the country.
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