BEIRUT, September 9. /TASS/. Syria reserves the right to take measures to defend its sovereignty, the Syrian foreign ministry said following Israel’s strikes on facilities in the Syrian Hama governorate.

"Syria reiterates its inalienable right to defend the sovereignty of its territories and liberate occupied [Syrian] lands using all legitimate means in conformity with international law," the SANA news agency quoted the ministry’s statement.

The ministry called on the world community to condemn the policy of the Israeli side, which is "ignoring all norms of international law," and take steps to hold the Israeli leadership responsible for its actions.

SANA reported earlier that overnight to September 9, Israel delivered airstrikes on ground targets in Wadi al-Uyun, Masyaf, and Salamiyah, in the Hama governorate. A source in the Syrian defense ministry told the agency that Syrian air defense forces had repelled "the aggressive attack by the Israeli enemy." According to the source, some of the missiles were shot down in mid-air. The strikes claimed 16 lives and 36 more people were wounded. Damage was done to ground facilities.

According to The Times of Israel, the Israeli military targeted pro-Iranian units’ facilities, including missile production shops.