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12 said killed in alleged Israeli strikes on Iranian facilities in Syria

Syrian air defenses downed several Israeli missiles in the al-Kiswah district, state media says • U.K. monitoring group says at least three Iranian, Syrian targets hit near Damascus.

An explosions in the air over Damascus during what Syrian media claims was an Israeli strike on targets in the area, on Feb. 6, 2020. Credit: SANA.
An explosions in the air over Damascus during what Syrian media claims was an Israeli strike on targets in the area, on Feb. 6, 2020. Credit: SANA.

Twelve people were killed early on Thursday in multiple strikes around Damascus that Syrian state media attributed to Israel.

Syrian state news agency SANA reported that Syrian air defenses had downed several missiles in the al-Kiswah district, west of Damascus, which it claimed had entered Syria from Israel’s Golan Heights. Syrian television also showed anti-aircraft missiles exploding in the air.

Britain-based monitoring group the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported however that at least three government and Iranian posts were successfully targeted.

According to the Syrian army, among the injured were eight soldiers, reported Hebrew news outlet Walla News.

The IDF has not commented on the attacks, in accordance with its policy regarding “foreign reports.”

Israel has however admitted to striking al-Kiswah in the past, which is a known as an Iranian base of operations.

The strikes come just a month after the killing by the United States of Iranian Quds Force Gen. Qassem Soleimani in Iraq.

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