Huge blast near Damascus airport

A HUGE explosion hit near Damascus International Airport early yesterday, setting off large fires, with Syrian regime ally Hezbollah saying it was probably the result of an Israeli air strike.

The Lebanese militant group’s AlManar television said the raid hit a warehouse and fuel tanks, without specifying whether they were its own or belonged to the Syrian army or another of its allies.

Israel has carried out multiple air strikes in Syria since the civil war erupted in 2011, most of which it has said targeted arms convoys or warehouses of its Lebanese arch-foe Hezbollah.

In line with its usual practice, Israel’s military declined to comment on the blast.

Israeli Intelligence Minister Yisrael Katz said it was consistent with his government’s policy to prevent arms transfers to Hezbollah, but stopped short of confirming his country was behind it.

Al-Manar said preliminary reports suggested the blast caused only material damage and no casualties.

“Al-Manar’s correspondent reported that an explosion struck at dawn in fuel tanks and a warehouse near Damascus International Airport and that it was probably the result of an Israeli strike,” the channel reported.

The Israeli intelligence minister said the blast was in line with his government’s policy of preventing advanced weaponry from reaching Hezbollah.

“We are acting to prevent the transfer of sophisticated weapons from Syria to Hezbollah in Lebanon by Iran,” Katz said.

“When we receive serious information about the intention to transfer weapons to Hezbollah, we will act. This incident is totally consistent with this policy.”

Israeli warplanes have hit the airport and other bases around the capital in the past, targeting what it said were weapons stockpiles destined for Hezbollah.

The airport lies about 25km southeast of the city centre.

It was hit by Israeli air strikes in December 2014, Syrian state media reported at the time.