Syrian air defenses confronted an “Israeli aggression” after midnight on Thursday in the Masyaf area in the Hama countryside, Syrian state TV said, citing a military statement.
“At 12:40 this morning, the Israeli enemy launched an aggression by directing a barrage of missiles from the north of the Lebanese city of Tripoli towards the Masyaf area in the western Hama countryside,” the statement said.
“Our air defenses intercepted the missiles and downed most of them,” it added.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that loud explosions heard in the Masyaf region were caused by Israeli raids.
It confirmed that the attack targeted regime and Iranian militia military positions, saying that casualties have been reported.
Israeli jets had flown very low over parts of Lebanon early Friday, terrifying residents on Christmas Eve, some of whom reported seeing missiles in the skies over Beirut.
Israeli jets regularly violate Lebanese airspace and have often struck inside Syria from Lebanese territory. But the Christmas Eve flights were louder than usual, frightening residents of Beirut who have endured multiple crises in the past year, including the catastrophic Aug. 4 explosion at the city's port that killed over 200 people and destroyed parts of the capital. That explosion resulted from the detonation of a stockpile of ammonium nitrates that was improperly stored at the facility.
There was no immediate word from Israel on Friday's flights and alleged attacks on Syria.
In the past few years, Israel has acknowledged carrying out dozens of airstrikes in Syria, most of them aimed at suspected Iranian weapons shipments believed to be bound for Hezbollah. In recent months, Israeli officials have expressed concern that Hezbollah is trying to establish production facilities to make precision guided missiles.
Masyaf is a significant military area for Syrian president Bashar Assad's regime that includes a military academy and a scientific research center. Israel has struck targets there several times in the past.
