World, Middle East

Israel says it intercepted missile targeting Golan

Syrian regime and Russia also say Syrian air defense shot down Israeli air attack

20.01.2019 - Update : 21.01.2019
Israel says it intercepted missile targeting Golan FILE PHOTO

By Osama al-Ghasani

JERUSALEM

Israel's army on Sunday intercepted a missile launched towards the occupied Syrian Golan heights, according to an Israeli Army spokesman.

Lt. Col. Avichay Adraee tweeted that the interception was done by the army’s Iron Dome defense system.

No state of emergency was announced in the occupied Golan heights, as the incident ended by intercepting the missile, according to Israel’s Broadcasting Authority.

Israel has intercepted Syrian missiles fired at Israeli warplanes and missiles during Israeli raids before, usually carried out on targets in Syria.

Last week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu admitted that Israel had launched raids on targets affiliated with Iran and Lebanese Hezbollah in Syria.

“We struck thousands of targets without claiming responsibility or asking for credit,” Gadi Eisenkot, a former Israeli chief of Staff, told the New York Times earlier this month.

Separately, on Sunday afternoon, the Syrian regime-affiliated SANA news agency quoted the Syrian regime Air Force as announcing that it had foiled an Israeli aerial attack targeting southern Syria.

Russia's Defense Ministry supported the Syrian account, saying in a statement: “The Air Defense Forces of the Syrian Arab Army repelled an air attack by the Israeli Air Force on Duvali International Airport in southeast Damascus.

"The Pantsir and Buk defense systems destroyed seven Israeli missiles. The airport infrastructure was not affected. No casualties or destruction were detected.”

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