Syrian TV: Israel responsible for air strikes on T-4 military base in Homs
This is a developing story.
By JERUSALEM POST STAFF, REUTERSUpdated: JULY 9, 2018 09:03An image grab from a video released on May 10, 2018 by the "Central War Media" and broadcast on Syria's official TV purportedly shows Syrian air defense systems intercepting Israeli missiles over Syrian airspace(photo credit: AFP PHOTO / HO / CENTRAL WAR MEDIA)
Syrian State TV reported Sunday night that air strikes targeted the T-4 air base near Homs, and that Syrian air defense systems thwarted an act of "aggression".Citing a military source, Syrian state media added that Israeli missiles were those that attacked the air base."Our air defense systems thwarted an Israeli aggression and brought down a number of missiles that were targeting the T4 airport," it cited the military source as saying.The air defenses hit one of the "attacking planes and forced the rest to leave" Syria's air space, it added. Syrian state media did not report any casualties, but according to Syrian opposition forces there are nine dead on the base.Al Jazeera, citing Arab media sources, said between four to six rockets hit the air base and surrounding areas.An army officer in the southern Syrian desert said the air defense system shot down missiles coming from south of the Tanf region towards the Homs air base.The origin and nature of the attack were not immediately clear, although local Arabic media accused Israeli warplanes of being behind the attack.US, British and French forces pound Syria with air strikes early on Saturday in response to a poison gas attack, April 14, 2018(Reuters)In April, Syria, Iran and Russia all said Israel was responsible for carrying out an attack at the T-4 air base, although Israel refused to confirm or deny the accusations.Israeli officials said the base was being used by troops from Iran, and that Israel would not accept such a presence in Syria by its arch foe.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that at least 14 people were killed in the April strike, with Iran's semi-official Fars news agency saying that four Iranian soldiers were among the casualties.Foreign sources cited by Israel's Channel Two suggested that the air strike targeted systems that sought to disrupt the ability of the Israeli Air Force to conduct operations over Lebanon and Syria.This is a developing story.
