Syria claims Israeli strike

Amman: Syria’s army said yesterday the country’s air defences had intercepted ‘‘Israeli aggression’’ over the capital, Damascus.

The Israeli military, which had just begun a surprise air force combat drill along the country’s northern border, said it did not comment on foreign reports.

Syrian state media did not give details of what was hit. Israeli military planes flew over the Golan Heights to hit targets on the edge of the capital, a army statement said, adding air defences downed most of the missiles.

A Syrian military defector said the bombing raids hit a major army division in the town of Kiswa, almost 14km south of the capital, in a sprawling area where Iranianbacked militias have a dominant presence.