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10 killed in airstrike near Damascus, Israel blamed

Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says three government troops, seven militiamen affiliated with Hezbollah killed.

By Paul Shindman, World Israel News

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported Tuesday that 10 combatants were killed in airstrikes attributed to the Israel Air Force near the Syrian capital of Damascus.

The rights group said Syrian air defense systems were activated during what it called a widespread attack in areas south of the capital that “resulted in significant material losses at targeted sites” and also killed one civilian.

The organization identified the dead combatants as three Syrian government troops and seven “non-Syrian militias loyal to Hezbollah and Iranians” in attacks that targeted Lebanese Hezbollah headquarters and Iranian militias south of Damascus and in the Daraa Governate in the south of the country bordering Israel.

“The raids resulted in the destruction of Lebanese Hezbollah weapons and ammunition headquarters and ammunition belonging to Lebanese Hezbollah and Iranian Revolutionary Guard,” the organization said.

Syrian state television confirmed that air defense systems had been activated late Sunday evening “against hostile targets” in the area of Damascus International Airport area.

Syrian media reported that missiles also struck the northeastern region of Daraa, where Lebanese Hezbollah forces are located and where a similar attack occurred about a month ago.

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Official sources claimed that the attack took place in at least two waves and originated from the skies above the Golan Heights.

In a previous attack also attributed to Israel, a Hezbollah terrorist was killed two months ago and tensions have remained high on the Lebanese border after Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah vowed to kill an Israeli soldier in revenge.

In a televised speech last week, Nasrallah said it was only a matter of time before his Iran-backed terror group would achieve its goal.

“Israel needs to understand that when they kill one of our mujahideen, we will kill one of their soldiers. This is the equation,” Nasrallah said.

On August 26, Hezbollah snipers on the Lebanese side of the border opened fire on an IDF position, sparking an alarm in Israel that forced several thousand civilians to take cover as Israeli artillery pounded targets in retaliation.