Report: Israel attacked a Hezbollah base in Syria

By REUTERS, TAMAR BEN-OZER, YASSER OKBI/MAARIV

Published: MAY 25, 2018 13:25

Updated: MAY 25, 2018 14:12

HEZBOLLAH MEMBERS wave Hezbollah and Lebanese flags during a 2015 rally in southern Lebanon marking the anniversary of the end of the terrorist organization’s 2006 war with Israel. (photo credit: AZIZ TAHER/REUTERS) — HEZBOLLAH MEMBERS wave Hezbollah and Lebanese flags during a 2015 rally in southern Lebanon marking the anniversary of the end of the terrorist organization’s 2006 war with Israel.

(photo credit: AZIZ TAHER/REUTERS)

According to the Syrian Al-Marsad organization for human rights, Thursday's attack on the Dabaa military airport in central Syria was aimed at Hezbollah members and militias.

The Syrian Al-Marsad organization for human rights reported on Friday that Thursday's attack on the Dabaa military airport in central Syria was aimed at Hezbollah members and militias supporting the regime. According to the report, six strong explosions, allegedly related to missile strikes, were heard in the region of Homs, near the Lebanese border. Syrian air defense systems reportedly attempted to intercept the missiles. So far, no fatalities have been reported. Al-Marsad did not state whether the attempt was successful.

The report further claimed that the missile attack was carried out by Israel.

Earlier on Friday, the Lebanese army announced that on Thursday, May 24, five Israeli Air Force planes circled above Lebanese territory for some 15 hours altogether. According to the report, most of the flights took place in the southern and northern regions of Lebanon, but one of them was mentioned to have circled above "all regions of the country." No offensive action or operation was said to have been carried out by the aircraft.

On Thursday, Syrian state media said a military airport near Homs had come under missile attack which was repelled by its air defense systems.

"One of our military airports in the central region was exposed to hostile missile aggression, and our air defense systems confronted the attack and prevented it from achieving its aim," state news agency SANA said.

SANA earlier reported sounds of explosions heard near the Dabaa airport, about 12 miles southwest of the central Syrian city of Homs and 6 miles from the Lebanese border.

Pentagon spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Kone Faulkner, when asked about reports of the attack, said the US-led coalition fighting Islamic State in Syria did not carry it out and the coalition does not target Syrian government positions.

British-based war monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said troops belonging to Hezbollah and other militias allied to Syrian President Bashar Assad are stationed in the Dabaa military airport. It had no information on casualties.

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Earlier reports on Thursday from the Syrian opposition pointed to an Israeli attack on a Syrian Revolutionary Guard air missile base at the Dabaa airport west of Homs, by the Lebanese border.

An Israeli military spokeswoman declined to comment.

In recent months Israel has carried out several airstrikes in Syria, targeting Iranian and Iranian-linked targets. Israeli leaders have repeatedly asserted that Jerusalem would not allow Iran to gain a foothold in southern Syria.