Israel strikes Syria

DAMASCUS (Sputnik) – Several Syrian military bases have been struck by missiles in the Hama and Allepo provinces, according to a report by local television.

“The arms depot of the 47th brigade of the Syrian army was attacked near Hama. Powerful explosions and major fire have occurred as a result,” a source in Syria law enforcement told Sputnik.

The Syrian Sana news agency reported earlier that explosions had been heard near the cities of Hama and Aleppo.

According to the Surya TV channel, Syrian army positions have been attacked in a missile strike, conducted at approximately 19:30 GMT.

​Earlier, state television reported that successive blasts were heard in the rural Hama province and that authorities were investigating the cause.

Israel might be responsible for the attack, according to a report by Haaretz.

Earlier Sunday, Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman stated that Israel would continue to maintain that it had freedom of operation in Syria, cited by Haaretz.

“We have no intention to attack Russia or to interfere in domestic Syrian issues,” Lieberman said at an annual Jerusalem Post conference. “But if somebody thinks that it is possible to launch missiles or to attack Israel or even our aircraft, no doubt we will respond and we will respond very forcefully.”

Earlier this month, Israeli jets struck a Syrian air base, killing seven Iranian military advisers. Israel has warned it could hit Iranian bases in war-torn Syria should tensions with Tehran escalate, according to the Jerusalem Post.

Local residents in the Hama area told Reuters that the attacked bases were used by Iranian-backed forces.