Israeli strikes hit weapons depot by Damascus airport
Israeli strikes hit a weapons depot by Damascus airport overnight, targeting a warehouse belonging to Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, which is allied with the Syrian government, a monitor said yesterday.
"Israeli warplanes targeted with rocket fire a weapons depot belonging to Hezbollah near the airport," said Rami Abdel Rahman, director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
There was no immediate official confirmation from either Damascus or Israel, but the Jewish state has been accused of carrying out multiple strikes in Syria, including earlier this month.
On September 7, the Syrian army said Israeli warplanes hit one of its positions near the central town of Masyaf.
The site was reportedly used by Hezbollah forces and those of Iran, another Syrian government ally.
In April, the government accused Israel of firing several missiles at a military position near Damascus airport, triggering a huge explosion.
Israel has remained quiet on the accusations, but has repeatedly warned it stands ready to take military action to prevent Hezbollah from obtaining advanced weaponry.
Meanwhile, Iraqi forces achieved the first goal of a new offensive against the Islamic State group on just its second day yesterday, penetrating the northern town of Sharqat.
Some residents celebrated in the streets as government troops and paramilitaries entered the town centre and tore down the black flags of the jihadists who had ruled it with an iron fist for more than three years.
AFP correspondents saw little major damage in the town, although there had been casualties in the fighting as they saw the bodies of two jihadists in the back of a pickup.
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