Israeli airstrikes hit central Syria

Suspected Israeli airstrikes hit Syria on Friday. Israel struck Syrian targets a number of times in 2020.

The Syrian state-run SANA news outlet reported Israeli airstrikes near the central city of Hama early Friday. SANA did not specify the targets and said Syrian air defense forces struck most of the missiles down.

The pro-opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that Israeli missiles destroyed the positions of Iran-backed militia and Lebanese Hezbollah positions near Hama.

Israel does not comment on its military operations abroad, but is suspected of carrying out regular airstrikes in Syria against Syrian and Iranian military targets. Iran and its ally Hezbollah support the Syrian government in the civil war against rebel forces and Israel views their presence in neighboring Syria as a threat.

Iranian forces repositioned themselves in eastern Syria in response to suspected Israeli airstrikes Jan. 13.

There were numerous reports of Israeli airstrikes in Syria in 2020, including a Dec. 30 strike on a Syrian air defense unit.

Friday’s airstrikes apparently mark the first time Israel has carried out a military operation in Syria since US President Joe Biden took office Wednesday.