Israeli Rockets Hit Syrian Military Near Aleppo

Israeli rockets strike military position near Aleppo, Syrian state media says

Syrian state media said on Sunday that Israeli rockets had hit a Syrian military position near Nairab airport on the outskirts of the city of Aleppo.

"The Zionist enemy ... targets one of our military sites north of Nairab airport, causing only material damage," said Syrian state news agency SANA, citing a military source.

It said the strikes were an attempt by Israel to support rebels in southern Syria, where Syrian government forces have been waging an offensive.

#Pt. First photo showing aftermath of #Israel|i airstirkes on "#Irania|ian center" near #AleppoAirbase. At least 5 were killed. #Syria. https://t.co/E6vKoiSMqs pic.twitter.com/aMwmxwfP3q

— Qalaat Al Mudiq (@QalaatAlMudiq) July 15, 2018

An Israeli military spokesman declined to comment on the report.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the attack targeted warehouses where weapons belonging to the Syrian army as well as to Iranian militias were kept, Haaretz reported.

Israel, concerned that Iran's growing presence in Syria is a threat to its security, has struck dozens of Iranian and Iran-backed positions in Syria over the course of the seven-year conflict.

Iran is a key ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and backs a number of militias, including Lebanon's Hezbollah, fighting in support of Assad.

Syrian TV Reports Israeli Warplanes Attacked Air Base Near Aleppo

The Al-Nayrab air base near Aleppo in northern Syria came under attack Sunday night, according to a report by Syria’s official SANA state news agency.

“The Zionist enemy … targets one of our military sites north of Nairab airport, causing only material damage,” said Syrian state news agency SANA, quoting a military source who claimed the air strike was an attempt by Israel to support rebels in southern Syria, where government forces have conquered the province of Dara’a, along Israel’s northern border.

The warplanes allegedly fired two missiles that struck targets and caused “material damage,” according to Syrian state television news reports.

Other unconfirmed Arab media reports claimed up to 10 “Israeli” missiles struck an air base that held Iranian military forces.

No injuries were initially reported but damage was confirmed in the attack, according to Reuters.

There was no comment from the Israel Defense Force nor from Israeli government officials.

This is a developing story.