by WorldTribune Staff, November 2, 2017

Israeli jets on Nov. 1 carried out an airstrike in western Syria, south of the city of Homs, according to reports.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based monitoring group, reported that the strike targeted a Syrian military or Hizbullah installation that was believed to manufacture rockets.

The Syrian army responded by firing surface-to-air missiles at the aircraft. Israel’s Channel 10 television reported that none of the Israeli planes were hit and they returned safely to base.

“I can’t, of course, relate to reports about the Israel Defense Forces’ attack in Syria, but regardless, Israel’s position is clear: smuggling arms to Hezbollah is a red line in our eyes,” Intelligence Minister Israel Katz told Army Radio.

The Lebanese Anshara website reported explosions near the villages of al-Eyn al-Jedida, located in the eastern mountain range on the Lebanon-Syria border.

Hizbullah’s Al-Manar TV reported Israeli jets had been circling the area for over an hour.

The Nov. 1 strike is the third in Syria attributed to Israel in recent weeks.

Two weeks ago, Israel’s Air Force attacked and destroyed a Syrian SA-5 anti-aircraft battery east of Damascus after it fired a surface-to-air missile at Israeli jets.

Earlier in October, Israeli forces hit three Syrian regime artillery positions following five projectiles that were launched towards Israel. Three of the five projectiles landed in open territory in Israel’s northern Golan Heights, causing no damage or injuries.

After the mid-October attack, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu commented: “Our policy is clear: anyone who tries to harm us will be hit. Today they tried to hit our planes, which is unacceptable to us.”

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