Israeli airstrikes hit Aleppo, Syria reports

Israel has vowed to prevent any permanent Iranian military buildup in Syria, particularly near the border.

By Associated Press

Israeli fighter jets fired missiles on an area near the northern city of Aleppo early Friday, Syrian state media said, amid increased airstrikes on Syria in recent weeks.

There were no immediate reports of casualties.

On Aug. 31, a strike targeted the southern suburbs of the capital Damascus killing two soldiers and wounding seven.

Israel rarely comments on such reports, but is believed to have carried out scores of raids targeting Iran’s military presence in Syria. In the past three months alone, Syria has accused Israel of carrying out at least nine airstrikes on its territory.

State news agency SANA gave few details about Friday’s strike but said the country’s air defenses shot down most of the missiles before they hit their targets.

Iran has been a key ally of the Syria’s government in the nearly decade-long civil war sending thousands of Iran-backed fighters to fight on the side of President Bashar Assad, known internationally as the “butcher of Damascus” for his brutal treatment of those accused of opposing him.

Iran is widely viewed as a regional menace and has Israel has vowed to prevent any permanent Iranian military buildup in Syria, particularly near the border.

In recent months, Israeli officials have also expressed concern that Hezbollah, the Iran-backed Lebanese terror group that operates freely in Syria, is trying to establish facilities to produce precision-guided missiles. Tensions have also risen along the Israel-Lebanon border.