Syria says Israeli jets carried out attacks in the center of the province, adding to their missile picture of most of the missiles.
Syrian state media claims that at least four civilians were killed when Israeli warplanes fired several missiles in central Syria in central Hama early Friday, adding that its air defense forces fired most of the missiles.
The state-run news agency SANA said an unnamed military official said an attack took place Friday shortly before morning when Israeli warplanes flew over nearby Lebanon.
“At about four o’clock [02:00 GMT] This morning, the Israeli enemy launched an air strike with a missile warrant coming from the command of Lebanese city, Tripoli, aiming at some targets near the ruler of Hama. Our air defenses were going against enemy missiles and most of them were down, ”the report said a military source said.
SANA later said “Israeli attack on a family, including a father, mother and two children” on the western edge of the province.
Israel has waged hundreds of wars against its so-called Iranian-linked military targets in Syria over the years but rarely admits or talks about such operations. Iran and its Lebanese friend Hezbollah have backed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the civil war on suspicion of supply of weapons and fighters.
Friday’s attack was Israel’s first attack on Syria since U.S. President Joe Biden took office. Israel has justified the attacks inside Syria, saying Iran and Hezbollah pose a security threat.
On January 13, Israeli warplanes carried out intense airstrikes in eastern Syria apparently hitting positions and military bases of Iranian-backed forces, killing at least 57 militants and injuring dozens – the worst attack in years.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war investigator who oversees the Syrian war, said it recorded 39 Israeli attacks inside Syria in 2020 that hit 135 targets, including armed posts, houses -goods or vehicles.
The raids also come amid intense Israeli war missions at low altitudes in Lebanese skies that have caused jitters among residents.