Israel launches missile strikes on Syria's Aleppo, killing civilians

The Israeli Air Force has attacked military positions near the Syrian city of Aleppo (360 km from Damascus), Syria’s Sham FM radio station reported.

According to it, Israel launched missile strikes on ground targets. Strong explosions were heard. The Syrian air defenses opened a barrage and hit several Israeli missiles.

A source in the country’s Defense Ministry told the SANA news agency that Israel had launched strikes on the southeastern outskirts of Aleppo at 00:20 a.m. local time (9:20 p.m. GMT on June 2). "As a result of the air aggression, several people were killed and there is material damage," he pointed out.

According to the Al-Arabiya TV channel, the Israeli strike hit the Hayyan neighborhood, where the camp of Hezbollah militants fighting on the side of the Syrian army is located. Ambulances and firefighters have now been dispatched to the area.

At least 17 fighters from government forces and Shiite formations and 15 civilians were killed, the Al Hadath TV channel reported.

On May 30, an airstrike on a military base in Syria's Homs Governorate killed six Shiite fighters. Several gasoline tankers were destroyed, causing a severe fire.

Since the beginning of the year, the Israeli Air Force has attacked Syrian territory 34 times. Thirteen civilians have died; government forces and Shiite formations have lost about 40 fighters. [TASS]