The IDF said it attacked batteries in Syria early Wednesday after an anti-aircraft missile was fired towards Israel during what Syrian state television reported was an earlier strike around Damascus.
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An IDF spokesperson declined to comment on the Syrian report of an initial Israeli attack near the Syrian capital, which reportedly killed one soldier and wounded five.
But the IDF said it carried out a counterstrike in Syria in response to the launching of the anti-aircraft missile. It said the missile triggered sirens in parts of Israel and Judea and Samaria, and exploded in mid-air.
At around 1 a.m., an explosion was reported over the so-called "Triangle" region in Israel around Wadi Ara towns, including Umm al-Fahm.
"Following the anti-aircraft missile launch earlier tonight, the Israel Defense Forces attacked surface-to-air missile batteries and radar that fired at Israeli Air Force planes," the IDF said on Twitter.
In response to the anti-aircraft missile launched from Syria earlier tonight, we just struck surface-to-air missile targets in Syria, including radar & anti-aircraft batteries.
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) February 9, 2022
Syrian state TV said earlier that Syrian air defenses had downed a number of Israeli missiles over Damascus.
Israel launched surface-to-surface missiles from the Golan Heights and Syrian air defenses shot down some of them, Syrian state TV said.
"Israeli aggression" also carried out an airstrike earlier on Wednesday with missiles from southeast of Lebanon's capital Beirut, state TV added.
One Syrian soldier was killed and five were wounded in the attacks, state TV reported, citing a Syrian military source.
Israel has mounted frequent attacks against Iranian targets in Syria, where Tehran-backed forces led by Lebanon's Hezbollah terrorist organization have supported Syrian President Bashar Assad over the past decade in Syria's civil war.
Israel has stated it will not allow Iran or its proxies to operate in Syria.
Wednesday's attack is one of the rare occasions Israel commented on a strike.
The last alleged strike occurred in late January, which also targeted the Damascus area. This follows reports of Israel allegedly considering limitations on attacks in Syria to appease Russia.
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