Israeli air strikes ‘target Syrian missile shipment’

AFP/Damascus

Israeli warplanes hit a weapons shipment in Syria headed for Lebanon’s Hezbollah, media quoted US officials as saying, with a diplomatic source reporting yesterday that the strikes targeted missiles stored at Damascus airport.

CNN said US and Western intelligence agencies were reviewing information suggesting Israel had launched an air strike overnight on Thursday.  Washington does not believe Israeli warplanes entered Syrian airspace during the raid, it added.

US President Barack Obama, speaking to Spanish-language Telemundo television, said Israel is justified in protecting itself against arms shipments to Hezbollah.

“The Israelis justifiably have to guard against the transfer of advanced weaponry to terrorist organisations like Hezbollah,” he said, without commenting directly on the reported strike