DAMASCUS, Jan 9: Syria’s army says Israel has attacked Syrian territory with jets and ground-to-ground missiles in an early-morning strike.

In a statement reported by state media, the Assad-regime’s forces said its air defences had hit an Israeli aircraft and had intercepted some rockets fired from Israeli territory, but that the attack had caused damage

The army said the Syrian air defense confronted the early morning missile attacks that were launched from Lebanese airspace on the outposts in the area of Qutayfeh in the Damascus countryside on Tuesday. It said several missiles were first launched at 2:40 a.m., followed by two more missiles at 3:04 a.m. and four at 4:14 a.m.

The military said the Syrian air defense shot down one missile and the rest fell on one of the Syrian military sites, causing material damage.

An Israeli military spokeswoman declined to respond to the Syrian statement. Although the Israeli air force chief last August disclosed that his corps had struck in Syria around 100 times, Israel’s policy is generally not to confirm or deny such operations.

Israel has pledged to prevent Syrian territory being used for Iran to set up bases or transfer high-quality weaponry to Lebanon’s Hezbollah group, which has been helping Damascus beat back a six-year-old rebellion.