SYRIA: Israeli air strikes target Iranian presence at Shayrat Air Base in Homs

HOMS, Syria – On Tuesday night, Israeli warplanes launched several missiles from Lebanese airspace at targets in eastern Homs, Syria. The Syrian state-owned media outlet SANA reported that Syrian air defense responded and shot down several of the missiles before they could reach their targets.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) stated that the Israeli aircraft reportedly targeted Shayrat Air Base in Homs and several other locations of Iranian militias in the Homs countryside. Explosions had been heard as a result of the Syrian air defenses responding to the attack.

Prior to the Israeli air strikes, “A cargo plane had flown between Shayrat airbase and Althias airbase (T-4 airbase),” according to SOHR.

Israel has recently intensified its attacks on Iranian military and militia personnel, including Lebanese Hezbollah, in Syria and asserts it is responding to “Iran’s attempts to strengthen its military presence in Syria.”