Israeli air force attacks Syria and Syrian missile explodes over northern Israel

Israel carried out air strikes on areas near the central Syrian city of Homs early on Sunday, causing material damage but no casualties, the Syrian military said in a statement.

A Syrian anti-aircraft missile exploded over Israeli territory, the Israeli military said, prompting another round of strikes.

Syrian state media quoted an unnamed military official as saying the air defences shot down some of the missiles fired by Israeli warplanes flying over neighbouring Lebanon.

Israeli authorities did not comment on the air strike on Homs. But the military said one of the Syrian air defence missiles exploded over Israeli territory without causing any damage.

Israeli police said the rocket’s remains landed in the southern Israeli city of Rahat.

In response to the rocket, Israeli jets struck the air defence battery from where the anti-aircraft rocket was launched. The military said it also struck other targets, without elaborating.

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

The last suspected Israeli air strike on Syria was on June 14, near the capital, Damascus, and injured one soldier.

Israel has also targeted the international airports in Damascus and the northern Syrian city of Aleppo several times over the past few years, often putting it out of commission.