Thursday’s incident underlined the continued danger that Israel’s regular airstrikes in Syria, targeting what Israeli officials claim are Iranian assets, could spiral into a major international confrontation. On Thursday, Israeli warplanes launched airstrikes at targets in southern Syria, according to Syrian state media. Israeli officials refused to comment on either the Russian allegation or the reported airstrike. Israeli officials routinely refuse to confirm or deny specific attacks in Syria, but senior Israeli officials have acknowledged carrying out hundreds of strikes in recent years as part of an effort to prevent Iran from establishing a military foothold in Syria. According to Konashenkov, Israeli fighter jets fired eight missiles at targets near Damascus early Thursday, and Syrian forces fired antiaircraft missile defense systems.

Source: Washington Post February 07, 2020 07:27 UTC