ANKARA

Israel carried out airstrikes early Tuesday on several targets outside the Syrian capital Damascus, the state-run SANA news agency reported.

"Damage was caused in the attack. Air defense systems shot down some enemy rockets," it said.

Israeli authorities have not issued a statement on the attack.

In addition to the Syrian army and Iran-backed groups, elements of the Lebanese Hezbollah group are present in Damascus and rural areas.

Since the onset of the Syrian civil war in 2011, Israel has occasionally carried out attacks on military positions belonging to Iran-backed groups and the Syrian army in Syria.