Syrian media: Israel launches airstrike near Damascus

May 8 (UPI) — Syrian media blamed Israeli airstrikes for explosions south of the capital of Damascus on Tuesday.

Israeli fighter jets struck a Syrian army position south of Damascus, a pro-Assad commander said. There were no casualties.

Syrian state media reported that the country’s air defenses intercepted two Israeli missiles in the Al- Kiswah area.

The Israeli military didn’t confirm the strike; it has a policy against commenting on Syrian airstrikes.

Israeli military officials previously called for local governments to prepare bomb shelters after “abnormal movements of Iranian forces in Syria” and warned residents of the Golan Heights region, near the Israel-Syria border, of a potential airstrike.

Israel Defense Forces also deployed missile defense batteries in northern Israel, stating “there is high preparedness of IDF troops for an attack.”

About an hour before the alleged airstrike Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump announced he is withdrawing the United States from the Iran nuclear deal.

“The Iran deal is defective at its core. If we do nothing, we know exactly what will happen,” Trump said.

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