Syria reports Israeli artillery attack on Quneitra

Syrian state media claims IDF targeting hospital and observation post with tank shells; Israeli military does not comment

By ToI Staff 11 February 2019, 8:50 pm Edit

A picture taken on July 26, 2018, near Kibbutz Ein Zivan in the Israeli Golan Heights, shows smoke rising above buildings across the border in Syria during air strikes backing a government-led offensive in the southern province of Quneitra. (AFP Photo/Jack Guez)

Israeli forces shelled the Syrian city of Quneitra, Syrian state media reported Monday night.

According to the state-run SANA news agency, Israeli tank shells targeted a hospital in Quneitra and a nearby observation post.

Quneitra lies just across the border on the Golan Heights, in the demilitarized zone between the countries.

The Israeli military did not immediately respond to the report.

According to SANA, the shelling caused material damage but no casualties.

Israel has carried out hundreds of airstrikes in Syria to thwart attempts to smuggle weapons to the Hezbollah terror group and keep Iranian-backed forces from entrenching themselves near the border.

A report last week indicated that advanced Russian S-300 air defense batteries had been set up in Syria to stop Israeli attacks.

On Monday, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov that Israeli airstrikes on Syria are unlawful and cannot be justified.