Israeli attack targets military positions near Syrian capital: war monitor

DAMASCUS, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Three explosions reverberated across the Syrian capital of Damascus on Wednesday night, which appeared to be Israeli strikes targeting military sites nearby, according to a war monitor.

The fresh Israeli attack targeted the Aqraba orchards in the countryside of Damascus, where a military air base is located, just 13 km west of the international airport of Damascus, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The strikes also hit a radar station southwest of Damascus, the observatory added.

The Syrian air defenses were triggered and have attempted to thwart the Israeli attack, according to the UK-based watchdog group.

As more details emerge, the pro-government Sham FM radio said the explosions were heard south of Damascus and in the southern province of Sweida, noting that the causes of the explosions are not yet known.

Israel has escalated its ground and air strikes on Syria significantly since the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza on Oct. 7, said the observatory.

Airstrikes, attributed to Israel, have hit Aleppo and Damascus airports several times in the past month. In addition, Israel said it had responded with artillery, mortar and airstrikes toward Syria in response to a number of launches from Syria toward Israeli sites on the occupied Syrian Golan, said UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen days ago when briefing the UN Security Council of the development in Syria.