In response it said it attacked the
missile launcher and air defense systems
in neighboring syria. Israeli media later described the syrian
missile as an errant projectile not a
deliberate attack deep inside israel. In recent years israel has repeatedly
launched airstrikes at syria, including
at military targets linked to foes iran
and the lebanese hezbollah militia both
allies of syrian President Bashar Assad.
Such strikes routinely draw syrian
anti-aircraft fire thursday's exchange
was unusual because the syrian
projectile landed deep inside israel. Syria's state news agency Sana said the
exchange began with an israeli air
strike on Damir, a suburb of the capital
of Damascus. Damir is believed to house syrian army
installations and batteries as well as
bases and weapons depots belonging to
iran-backed militias.
Sana said four soldiers were wounded. The
britain-based syrian observatory for
human rights an opposition war
monitoring group based in britain that
tracks serious civil war said the
israeli strikes hit an air defense base
belonging to the syrian military and
destroyed air defense batteries in the
area. It said the syrian military fired
surface-to-air missiles in response.
Syrian media made no mention of an
anti-aircraft missile landing deep
inside israel. The israeli military described the
projectile that landed near the nuclear
site as a surface-to-air missile which
is usually used for air defense against
warplanes or other missiles, that could suggest the syrian missile
had targeted israeli warplanes but
missed and flew apparently.
However demona the Negev desert town
where israel's nuclear reactor is
located is some 300 kilometers, 185 miles
south of Damascus a long range for an
errantly fired surface to air missile. The israeli army said it had deployed a
missile defense system but could not
confirm if the incoming missile was
intercepted, though it said there had
been no damage. The air raid sirens were sounded in Abu Crinat a village just a few kilometers
miles from Demona. Explosions heard across israel might
have been the air defense systems.
Israel TV's channel 13 reported that apparent
missile fragments were found in a
swimming pool in ash alam, a community
approximately 20 miles 32 kilometers
southwest of demona. The military said that in response to
the incoming missile it launched an
airstrike at the battery that launched
the anti-aircraft missile and other
surface-to-air batteries in syria. The exchange between israel and syria
comes against the backdrop of growing
tensions between israel and iran a key
ally of syria.
Iran which maintains troops and proxies
in syria has accused israel of a series
of attacks on its nuclear facilities, including sabotage at its Natan's
nuclear facility on april 11 and vowed
revenge. It also threatened to complicate u.s led
attempts to revive the international
nuclear deal with iran.
