The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says Sunday that Israeli aircraft struck a vehicle driving near the town of Khan Arnabeh in the Quneitra province, on the road to Damascus, killing its driver.

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The National Defense Force, a pro-regime militia formed in 2012 and organized by the Syrian government during the Syrian Civil War as a part-time volunteer reserve component of the Syrian military, claimed the man killed was from among their ranks, naming him as Yasser Hussien Assayed.

Israel has been reported to target members of that militia in the past, apparently for planning and preparing for hostile activities against it.

Yasser Hussien Assayed and his vehicle after the drone strike

“The national defense force mourns with pride and sorrow the news of the martyrdom of the heroic fighter Yasser Hussien Assayed,” the group said in a Facebook post.

The group published four pictures it said were from the scene of the alleged airstrike.

According to the group, an Israeli drone carried out the strike.

The Palestinian daily al Quds earlier on Sunday cited Syrian sources who said the Syrian army had targeted an Israeli drone in Quneitra, causing the drone to retreat.

The IDF refused to confirm or deny these reports.

The reported strike came hours after Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman threatened to destroy Syrian air defense systems, after Israeli aircraft were targeted during a bombing run early Friday morning.

“The next time the Syrians use their air defense systems against our planes we will destroy them without the slightest hesitation,” Liberman said on Israel Radio.

Roi Kais and Yoav Zitun contributed to this report.

(Edited by Lior Mor)