Israel attacks Syria; Syrian air defence missile explodes over north Israel

Israel carried out airstrikes on areas near the central Syrian city of Homs early Sunday causing material damage but no casualties, the Syrian military said in a statement.

Syrian state media quoted an unnamed military official as saying the air defences shot down some of the missiles fired by Israeli warplanes flying over neighbouring Lebanon.

Israeli authorities did not comment on the airstrike on Homs but said one of the Syrian air defence missiles exploded over northern Israel without causing any damage.

Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee later said that Israel's military retaliated for the firing of the air defense missile that exploded over the country's north by attacking Syrian air defence batteries from where the missile was fired.

The warplanes also attacked other targets in the area, Adraee tweeted without elaborating.

Israel, which has vowed to stop Iranian entrenchment next door, has carried out hundreds of strikes on targets in government-controlled parts of ...