Israeli strikes hit an arms depot operated by the Lebanese Hizbollah group near Damascus airport on Thursday, in a brazen attack on its enemy inside Syria.

The early morning raid was outside the international airport itself on a hub operated by the Shia militia, where weapons from Iran are regularly sent by commercial and military cargo planes.

Israeli warplanes have hit the airport and other bases around the capital in the past, targeting what it said were weapons stockpiles of its foe Hizbollah, which is allied with the Syrian government.

Footage from the area overnight showed several strikes followed by a large orange fireball.