Israel tight-lipped over air raid on Syrian site
© AFP
Israel has remained silent after Syria claimed that an Israeli air strike hit a military target near Damascus on Wednesday. Russia issued a stern warning to Israel while Hezbollah called the strike a barbaric aggression.
By FRANCE 24 (text)
Israel on Thursday was tight-lipped over Syrian claims it had bombed a military site near Damascus, while stressing that any transfer of advanced weaponry to Lebanon's Hezbollah would cross a red line.
The Syrian army said the strike, which took place early on Wednesday, had targeted a scientific research centre near Damascus, with local residents telling AFP it was a non-conventional weapons research centre.
Speaking on the condition of anonymity, US officials told The New York Times that they had been notified of the strike by Israel, and believed the target was a convoy carrying anti-aircraft weaponry near Damascus that was intended for Hezbollah.
Russia, Hezbollah react
Meanwhile, Russia warned on Thursday that any Israeli air strike against Syria would be unacceptable, with the Russian foreign ministry noting that it was deeply concerned by the Syrian claims and was taking urgent measures to clarify the situation.