Lebanon: Israel blatantly violated our airspace

Lebanon’s Defense Minister, Zeina Akar, on Thursday night condemned an air strike on Syria that was attributed to Israel and was allegedly carried out from Lebanese airspace, Reuters reported.

Akar said the air strike it “blatantly violated Lebanon’s airspace at low altitude, causing a state of panic among citizens.”

She said the attack violated UN Security Council resolution 1701 to resolve the 2006 Lebanon war and called on the UN to deter Israel from carrying out air strikes on Syria using Lebanese airspace.

Akar said she had sent a complaint to the United Nations on the matter, according to Reuters.

Syrian media reported on Thursday evening that explosions had been heard in and around Damascus.

The Syrian state-owned Ekhbariya TV and state news agency SANA reported that Syrian air defenses confronted an “Israeli aggression” in the Damascus countryside.

The Syrian army said that “at 11:03 p.m., the Israeli Air Force attacked several positions in the Damascus and Homs areas. The air defense systems were activated and most of the missiles were intercepted.”

The statement further said that the results of the attack are being investigated.

Earlier this month, IDF fighter jets on Wednesday night attacked areas in Lebanon from which rockets were fired toward the State of Israel as well as infrastructure used for terrorism.

Another target was attacked in an area from which rockets were fired in the past.

The Israeli air strikes followed the firing of three missiles from Lebanon towards Israel, with one falling short and landing in Lebanon.

Lebanese President Michel Aoun later blasted Israel’s retaliatory strikes against terrorists in his country, saying they suggest “an intention to escalate attacks”.

“These attacks are a direct threat to security and stability in the south,” Aoun added.

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