Syria accuses Israel of carrying out air strikes

Israel has carried out air strikes in the central and western parts of Syria, the country’s state news agency said on Monday night.

Syria’s Foreign Ministry condemned the air strikes as “a blatant infringement” of its sovereignty and regional stability, Reuters reported.

There was no immediate comment from Israel. Previously the defence minister Israel Katz said, “forces are operating in all combat zones day and night for the security of Israel”.

Israel has carried out dozens of attacks across Syria after the fall of ex-President Bashar al-Assad in December, which saw an Islamist-led government set up by former rebels.

Israel said at the time it was acting to stop weapons falling “into the hands of extremists”.

Attacks were reported near Homs and Palmyra, as well as on the coastal city of Latakia, Sana said late on Monday.

Britain-based war monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said “the Israeli strike near Homs targeted a military unit south of the city”.

There’s been no word on casualties.

This year, Israel has conducted 97 attacks – 86 air strikes and 11 land operations – according to the SOHR.

Sana reported earlier this month that Israeli soldiers detained seven people in the southern province of Quneitra, whom the Israeli army said at the time were “suspected of terrorist activity”.

In July, Israel bombed Syrian government forces around Suweida in the country’s south as the army entered the predominantly Druze city following deadly sectarian clashes.