Syrian air defense units intercept, destroy Israeli missiles over Damascus

Syrian air defenses have thwarted another Israeli act of aggression against the war-ravaged Arab country, and shot down a number of “hostile” missiles in the skies over the capital city of Damascus.

Syria’s official news agency, citing a military source, reported that Israeli aircraft fired several missiles from the direction of Lebanon at areas in the vicinity of Damascus at 1:26 a.m. local time on Friday (2226 GMT Thursday), but most of the projectiles were intercepted and destroyed before hitting any of their targets.

A short time later, residents of Tel Aviv, Ramat Gan and the surrounding area in the occupied territories heard at least one blast, Israeli Hebrew language media outlets reported.

The Israeli military said it was investigating whether the blasts were caused by a Syrian surface-to-air missile (SAM) that might have been launched at an incoming Israeli missile and then flown into the occupied lands and landed somewhere near Tel Aviv.

Syria downed 22 out of 24 Israeli missiles targeting Damascus, Homs, says Russia

The Russian military says Syria’s air defenses shot down 22 out of the two dozen missiles launched by Israeli warplanes during a recent aggression on Syrian soil.

On August 19, Syrian Army’s air defenses intercepted Israeli missiles in the surroundings of Damascus and the western city of Homs.

SANA, quoting an unnamed military source at the time, reported that Israel launched an air raid from the direction of southeastern Beirut against some posts in Syria.

“Our air defenses confronted the [Israeli] missiles and shot down most of them, and the outcomes of the aggression are being verified in the meantime,” the source added.

Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates later renewed its call on the United Nations and the Security Council to assume responsibilities based on the UN Charter and act firmly to prevent the recurrence of the Israeli regime’s attacks on Syrian territories.

In identical letters addressed to the UN Secretary General António Guterres and then president of the Security Council T. S. Tirumurti, the ministry said the “Israeli occupation authorities launched an air missile aggression from the southeast side of Beirut, targeting some posts in the surroundings of Damascus and Homs”, Syria’s official news agency reported.

Video: Syria confronts hostile Israeli targets over Damascus, Homs

Syrian air defenses confront Israeli attacks against the capital Damascus and the western city of Homs.

It added that the Israeli regime carried out the act of aggression with the purpose of prolonging the war on Syria and raising the morale of terrorists in the northeastern and southern parts of the country.

The ministry emphasized that the continuation of the Israeli attacks would not dissuade the Syrian people, armed forces and their allies from defeating Takfiri terrorist groups such as Daesh and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham as well as other terrorists that are partners of Israel and the US in acts of terror.

Syria has been gripped by foreign-backed militancy since March 2011. The Syrian government says the Israeli regime and its Western and regional allies are aiding Takfiri terrorist groups that are wreaking havoc in the country.

Israel frequently targets military positions inside Syria, especially those of the resistance movement Hezbollah which has played a key role in helping the Syrian army in its fight against the foreign-backed terrorists.

Syria to UNSC: Israeli aerial acts of aggression violate intl. law

Syria’s UN ambassador denounces Israeli aerial assaults on Syrian territories as a flagrant violation of the UN Charter and Security Council resolutions that urge respect for the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The Tel Aviv regime mostly keeps quiet about its attacks on Syrian territories which many view as knee-jerk reaction to Syrian government’s increasing success in confronting terrorism.

Israel has been a main supporter of terrorist groups that have opposed the government of President Bashar al-Assad since foreign-backed militancy erupted in Syria nine years ago.

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