The Russian military says Syrian air defense units intercepted most of the missiles fired during a recent Israeli raid on the Arab country’s central province of Homs, and shot down six projectiles during the attack that was launched from the Lebanese airspace.
“Between 20:16 p.m. local time (1816 GMT) and 20:23 on November 8, six F-15 tactical fighter aircraft of the Israeli air force violated the Syrian Arab Republic’s airspace, and fired eight guided missiles at logistical and military facilities of the Syrian army in Homs province,” Rear Admiral Vadim Kulit, deputy head of Russia’s Reconciliation Center for Syria, said in a statement.
He noted that Russian-made Buk-M2 and Pantsir-S medium-range surface-to-air missile systems, which are in service with the Syrian Armed Forces, managed to destroy six missiles at the time.
The Russian defense official said the Israeli airstrikes inflicted minor damage on the ground, and left two Syrian servicemen injured.
Syria’s official news agency, citing a military source, reported that Israeli aircraft fired several missiles from the direction of Lebanon at areas in Homs at 19:16 p.m. local time (1716 GMT) on Monday, but most of the projectiles were intercepted and destroyed before hitting any of their targets.
The source said the latest aggression by the occupying Israeli regime also wounded two Syrian army soldiers and resulted in “some material losses.”
Syria has been gripped by foreign-backed militancy since March 2011. The Syrian government says the Israeli regime and its Western and regional allies are aiding Takfiri terrorist groups that are wreaking havoc in the country.
Israel frequently targets military positions inside Syria, especially those of the resistance movement Hezbollah which has played a key role in helping the Syrian army in its fight against the foreign-backed terrorists.
The Tel Aviv regime mostly keeps quiet about its attacks on Syrian territories which many view as knee-jerk reaction to Syrian government’s increasing success in confronting terrorism.
Israel has been a main supporter of terrorist groups that have opposed the government of President Bashar al-Assad since foreign-backed militancy erupted in Syria nine years ago.