Syria's air defense system is seen responding to an Israeli missile strike in the sky over Damascus, Syria. (Photo: AFP)
Damascus, October 9 (RHC)-- Syria’s air defenses have thwarted an Israeli missile attack on a military airbase in the country's central province of Homs, shooting down most of the missiles, Syrian state media reports.
Israel attacked the military's T-4 airbase in the desert on Friday evening, the Syrian official news agency SANA reported. “At around 9:33 p.m. this evening, the Israeli enemy carried out an air attack from the direction of the al-Tanf area, with rockets launched toward the T-4 military airport in the central province,” it said, citing an unnamed military source as saying.
“Syria’s air defense confronted the aggression’s missiles and shot down most of them,” the source stressed, adding that the latest aggression by the occupying regime also wounded “six soldiers” and resulted in “some material losses.”
Early last month, the Syrian air defenses managed to destroy 21 out of 24 guided missiles fired by four Israeli Air Force F-15 tactical fighters at targets in Syria from Lebanese airspace, the Russian military in the Arab country reported at the time.
Israel often violates the Lebanese airspace to launch its attacks against neighboring Syria.
Back in August, Lebanon lodged a complaint with the UN after Israeli warplanes violated once again the Arab country’s airspace to carry out separate airstrikes against positions near the Syrian capital city of Damascus and the western city of Homs.
Israel's repeated aggressive moves have been viewed by observers as an attempt to weaken the Damascus government as it increasingly gains the upper hand in its fight against terrorist groups.
Israel has been a main supporter of terrorist groups that have opposed the government of President Bashar al-Assad since foreign-backed militancy erupted in Syria almost a decade ago.
Syrian government forces have taken back many areas once controlled by terrorist groups. The government and allied forces are currently busy fighting last bastions of militants in the northwestern province of Idlib and areas in the neighboring Aleppo province.
