Syrian TV says Israeli attack on state company injures 10

DAMASCUS, Syria — Loud explosions shook Syria’s coastal province of Latakia late Monday, sending orange flames into the sky in what Syrian state media said was an Israeli attack on a state company for technical industries that injured 10 people.

Explosions continued for nearly a half hour, said state-run Al-ikhbariya TV, which aired footage showing streaks of white light flashing across the sky. An unidentified military official was quoted as saying Syrian air defenses intercepted some missiles heading for the provincial capital of Latakia from the sea.

Al-ikhbariya said two of the injured were hospitalized, and the rest were released after treatment.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which initially reported the explosions, also reported 10 wounded, saying all of them were soldiers and some were in critical condition.

The war monitoring group said the target appeared to be an ammunition depot in the compound of the state Institute for Technical Industries. The group said it was not clear if the depot was for Iranian or Syrian forces.

The strikes followed a similar attack on Damascus International Airport late Saturday, which Syrian state media also blamed on Israel. A military official quoted then on state media said Syrian air defenses intercepted some missiles coming from the sea.

Other attacks were reported Sept. 4 that targeted sites in the coastal Tartus area and in Hama province. The Observatory said at the time that those attacks were believed to be aimed at Iranian military posts.

Israel is widely believed to have been behind a series of airstrikes mainly targeting Iranian and Hezbollah forces in Syria.

U.S. and Israeli officials have said Iran and Hezbollah should end their armed presence in Syria. Israel says it will not tolerate Iran’s growing presence in Syria.