Israeli raid in Syria hit regime, militia sites: Source

IDLIB, Syria

Israeli airstrikes carried out inside Syrian territory on Thursday targeted positions held by the Damascus regime and allied militias backed by Iran, informed sources told Anadolu Agency on Friday.

According to these sources, the strikes targeted the Harfa area of Syria’s southwestern Quneitra province -- including the headquarters of two Syrian army brigades -- and the Tel Mani area of Syria’s southern Daraa province.

The Israeli bomb run lasted for more than one hour, the sources said.

According to Syria’s SANA news agency, regime air defenses responded to the attack and succeeded in downing a number of hostile aircraft.

“Our air defenses responded to enemy targets over the ​​Al-Keswa area south of capital Damascus and shot them down,” SANA quoted an unnamed military source as saying.

Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee, however, denied the claim, saying no Israeli aircraft had been lost over Syrian territory.

Thursday's air raid was the first incident of its kind since Sept. 18, when a Russian plane carrying 14 Russian military personnel was accidentally shot down by Syrian air defenses, which had been responding to a similar Israeli air raid.

The incident prompted Moscow to respond by providing Damascus with its advanced S-300 air-defense system.