Damascus, November 3 (RHC)-- Syria has appealed to the United Nations, calling on the world body to take swift action against Israel's attacks on the Arab country.  In two letters addressed to the UN chief and the Security Council chairman, the Syrian Foreign and Expatriates Ministry complained on Thursday about a recent Israeli airstrike on a copper factory for civil industries in the town of Hassia in Homs Province.  The Syrian ministry urged the UN Security Council to take "strict and immediate" measures to stop Israeli attacks. 

According to reports, Israeli warplanes had targeted an arms depot belonging either to the Syrian government or the Lebanese Hezbollah resistance movement. 

Israel's Transportation and Intelligence Minister Yisrael Katz declined to comment on the strike, but repeated a threat to hit what he called “arms smuggling” to Hezbollah.  Syria's state television reported "an aggression" by Israel in Homs, adding that the army had "responded" by firing a surface-to-air missile at the aircraft.  Israel's Channel 10 television said the Israeli jets were not hit and returned safely to base. 

During the past few years, Israel has frequently attacked military targets in Syria in what is considered as an attempt to prop up terrorist groups that have been suffering heavy defeats against Syrian government forces.  On several occasions, the Syrian army has confiscated Israeli-made arms and military equipment from militants fighting pro-Damascus forces. Israel has also been providing medical treatment to the extremist militants wounded in Syria.