MOSCOW, May 9. /TASS/. Syrian air defense units have downed more than half of the air-launched and tactical ground-based missiles fired by Israel last night, the Russian Defense Ministry told reporters on Thursday.
According to the ministry, "the Iranian armed units’ deployment sites as well as the positions of the Syrian army’s air defense units near Damascus and in southern Syria came under attack." "While repelling Israel’s attack, Syria’s air defense units downed more than half of the missiles," the Defense Ministry said, adding that reports on the damage caused to the Iranian armed units and Syria’s military and civil infrastructure are being verified.
In last night’s air raid on Syria Israel used more than 70 air-to-surface and tactical missiles, the Russian Defense Ministry said.
Between the hours of 01:45 and 03:45 on May 10 the Israeli Armed Forces on the pretext of retaliation for an attack against Israeli positions in the area of Golan heights by armed groups dealt strikes against Syrian territory.
"Participating in the air raid were 28 Israeli planes F-15 and F-16, which fired more than 60 air-to-surface missiles on different parts of Syria. Also Israel launched more than ten tactical surface-to-surface missiles," the Defense Ministry said. "The attacks were against the deployment sites of Iranian armed groups and also Syrian air defenses in the area of Damascus and in southern Syria."
"Syria’s air defenses downed more than half of the Israeli missiles," the Defense Ministry said.
The damage caused to Iranian armed groups and also Syria’s military and civilian infrastructures are being specified.
Israel said that the Iranian forces Al Quds on Thursday fired no less than 20 missiles and rockets against Israel’s forward positions in the Golan Heights, thus inviting retaliation. Tel-Aviv says that some of the Iranian missiles were intercepted by the air defense system the Iron Dome, while the others fell short of the targets. Israel suffered no destruction or casualties.