Israel claims air strikes on Damascus airport area

Israel said Sunday it struck bases of Islamic Jih militant group near Damascus, while Syria claimed that its air defences shot down "enemy missiles".

Israeli army said in a statement that fighter jets "struck Islamic Jih terror targets south of Damascus," following rocket fire from Gaza Strip.

"In eliyah region, outside of Damascus, an Islamic Jih compound was struck, used as a hub of Islamic Jih's activity in Syria," it ded, while confirming a number of or strikes in Gaza.

Islamic Jih operates in both Palestinian territories and Syria and fired more than 20 rockets from Gaza throughout Sunday. An AFP correspondent in Damascus heard several strong explosions shortly before midnight (2200 GMT).

Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said attacks were "near Damascus international airport". Syrian state news ncy Sana said "most of enemy missiles were shot down before reaching ir targets," stressing that " airport" was struck.

Earlier Sana said anti-air defences were activated against attacks "in Damascus area". Since start of Syrian conflict in 2011, Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes in Syria, mainly targeting government forces as well as allied Iranian forces and Hezbollah fighters.

It is rare for m to claim such strikes directly. A missile attack blamed on Israel in mid-February killed three Syrian and four Iranian fighters in Damascus airport area, according to Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

(Representative im, source  - AP)