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Israel suspected of striking southern Syria

The Syrian government last reported that Israel struck the country in late July and this led to clashes between Israel and Hezbollah on the Israel-Lebanon border.

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Syrian air defenses respond to Israeli missiles targeting south of the capital Damascus, on July 20, 2020. — Photo by STR/AFP via Getty Images

The Syrian government reported that Israel struck southern Syria late Monday evening local time.

Israel fired missiles and the Syrian military deployed its air defense systems, the state-run SANA reported. The head of the Muraselon news outlet, which is pro-Syrian government, tweeted a video of an aerial explosion in the countryside of the capital Damascus. SANA shared a similar video, saying only that it was from southern Syria. Damascus is in the south.

The pro-opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the Israeli missiles targeted military sites south of Damascus.

Israel rarely comments on its military actions abroad, but it is suspected of carrying out regular airstrikes on Iranian targets in Syria. Iranian forces fight alongside the Syrian government and the Lebanese group Hezbollah in Syria. Hezbollah in particular is seen by Israel as a threat, and the two have clashed near their border in recent weeks.

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