Israel strikes government positions near Damascus: state media

[PARIS] Israel late Thursday (Apr 15) carried out air strikes on government positions near the capital Damascus, the state news agency SANA said, without reporting any casualties.

"An Israeli air raid targeted certain positions near Damascus," it said, adding that many explosions were heard in the area.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the Israelis attacked military positions south west of the capital.

Since civil war broke out in Syria in 2011, Israel has carried out hundreds of air strikes inside the country, targeting government positions as well as allied Iran-backed forces and fighters of Lebanon's Shiite militant group Hezbollah.

While Israel rarely comments on individual strikes, it has acknowledged mounting hundreds since 2011.

The conflict in Syria has claimed around 500,000 lives, ravaged infrastructure and displaced millions. AFP