Syrian media reported early Wednesday morning that air defense systems had engaged targets over the capital city of Damascus.
According to a reporter from the Syrian Arab News Agency, the targets came from Lebanese airspace, a typical avenue of attack for Israeli aircraft.
Photos and ate footage from the scene have been shared by SANA online.
Syrian air defenses active in the vicinity of Damascus tonight after reported Israeli airstrikes in the area. #Syria #Israel pic.twitter.com/HSg4LCsq5h
— Joe Truzman (@Jtruzmah) June 8, 2021
Later, the Syrian army confirmed it shot down some missiles fired by Israel, the state media reported.
"Our air defense systems repelled the aggressor's missiles and shot down some of them," SANA quoted a Defense Ministry statement.
In April, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif revealed that former US Secretary of State John Kerry had informed him at one point that Israel had carried out more than 200 airstrikes inside Syria against Iranian targets. Israel has also admitted to hundreds of strike inside Syria, claiming it is targeting Iranian forces intent on attacking Israel, although no such attack has ever taken place.
However, one incident that also happened in April involved a Syrian S-200 surface-to-air missile attempting to shoot down an incoming Israeli missile, missing its target, and flying hundreds of miles into Israeli territory until crashing into the desert near the Shimon Peres Negev Nuclear Research Center. Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz admitted the IDF had attempted to shoot down the missile and failed.
