September 03, 2020 - 4:41 AM
BEIRUT - A Syrian opposition war monitor said airstrikes on eastern Syria believed to have been carried out by Israeli warplanes early Thursday killed 16 Iranian-backed fighters.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the strikes hit positions of Iranian-backed fighters near the towns of Mayadeen and Boukamal close to the Iraqi border.
There was no official comment from Syrian state media, which reported an airstrike late Wednesday on the T4 air base in the central province of Homs.
There were also Israeli strikes Monday night that, according to Syrian state media, hit military posts south of the capital Damascus killing two Syrian soldiers and wounding seven others.
Israel rarely comments on such reports, but is believed to have carried out dozens of raids targeting Iran’s military presence in Syria.
The Observatory said the airstrike near Boukamal killed nine fighters while the strike near Mayadeen killed seven. It added that other fighters were also wounded in the strikes.
Since June, Syria has accused Israel of conducting at least nine air raids on its territory.
Iran, a key ally of the Syrian government, is considered by Israel a regional and security threat. Israel has vowed to prevent any permanent Iranian military buildup in Syria, particularly near the frontier.
News from © The Associated Press, 2020