Several explosions over Damascus were reported by a correspondent around 11:20 pm (8:20 pm GMT) local time. Minutes later SANA agency reported that Syrian air defences were repelling 'enemy targets' over the city.
Syrian state television reported that most targets were shot down and fell in the southern part of the country. According to the broadcaster, the air defense shot down several Israeli missiles before they reached their targets.
Later, an Israeli military spokesman claimed that Israeli aircraft on Saturday struck Iranian forces near Damascus to prevent a drone attack on Israel.
BREAKING: We just prevented a pending, large-scale attack of multiple killer drones on Israel by striking Iranian Quds Force operatives and Shiite Militia targets in Syria.
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) August 24, 2019
This is not the first such instance. In July, a correspondent from the scene also reported that a series of powerful blasts had rocked the skies over Damascus. Back then, a Syrian military source reported that the missile attacks were carried out by the Israeli Air Force. Back then, the attack resulted in four people being killed and 21 more wounded, according to the local media data.
Israel has previously admitted to carrying out "hundreds" of air attacks against Syria in recent years, saying that the strikes were aimed at countering alleged Iranian and Iranian-linked presence in the war-torn country. Damascus has condemned the attacks as a blatant violation of international law. Iran has said that its presence in Syria has been limited to helping Damascus fighting terror groups.
