Syria Says Israeli Airstrikes over Southwest Damascus Wounded Soldier and Caused Damage

Illustrative: This photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA shows missiles in the sky near the international airport, in Damascus, Syria, on January 21, 2019. (SANA via AP)
Illustrative: This photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA shows missiles in the sky near the international airport, in Damascus, Syria, on January 21, 2019. (SANA via AP)
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Syria Says Israeli Airstrikes over Southwest Damascus Wounded Soldier and Caused Damage

Illustrative: This photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA shows missiles in the sky near the international airport, in Damascus, Syria, on January 21, 2019. (SANA via AP)
Illustrative: This photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA shows missiles in the sky near the international airport, in Damascus, Syria, on January 21, 2019. (SANA via AP)

Airstrikes attributed to Israel over Syria's capital early Wednesday critically wounded one soldier, Syrian state media reported.

Syria’s state news agency, SANA, citing military officials, said the strikes over southwest Damascus also caused “material damage” without giving further details.

It reported that Syrian air defenses shot down some of the missiles.

Israeli authorities did not comment immediately, The Associated Press said.

Israel, which has vowed to stop Iranian entrenchment next door, has carried out hundreds of strikes on targets in government-controlled parts of neighboring Syria in recent years, but it rarely acknowledges them.

The last suspected Israeli airstrike on Syria was on May 29, targeting locations in the vicinity of Damascus. Israel has also targeted the international airport in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo several times this past year, often putting it out of commission.



Türkiye Says Hamas Would be More Open to Deal Seeking Lasting Peace with Israel

Palestinians inspect the damage caused by an Israeli strike in Khan Younis, Gaza, on Tuesday. (AP)
Palestinians inspect the damage caused by an Israeli strike in Khan Younis, Gaza, on Tuesday. (AP)
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Türkiye Says Hamas Would be More Open to Deal Seeking Lasting Peace with Israel

Palestinians inspect the damage caused by an Israeli strike in Khan Younis, Gaza, on Tuesday. (AP)
Palestinians inspect the damage caused by an Israeli strike in Khan Younis, Gaza, on Tuesday. (AP)

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Sunday that talks with Palestinian militant group Hamas in recent days had shown the group would be more open to an agreement that goes beyond a ceasefire in Gaza and aims for a lasting solution to the crisis with Israel.

On April 19, Fidan and Türkiye's intelligence chief, Ibrahim Kalin, held talks with Hamas officials in Ankara to discuss the latest efforts for a ceasefire and the situation in Gaza, Reuters reported.

Speaking in Doha, Fidan said those talks showed Hamas would be more willing to sign a deal that also addresses the issue of occupied Palestinian territories and other issues.

He also noted that the crisis could be turned into an opportunity to implement the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.