'Israeli air strikes' near Syria's Homs wounds several regime troops

Five Syrian regime soldiers have been wounded in an Israeli air strikes near the western city of Homs, regime news agency SANA reported.

The aerial incursion early on Sunday was Israel's third in recent days after Damascus was targeted on the nights of March 30 and 31, according to SANA.

"Today at around 00:35 (2135 GMT), the Israeli enemy carried out an air assault from northeast of Beirut targeting positions in the city of Homs and its province," SANA said, citing a military source.

Syrian regime's air defence intercepted several missiles, but five soldiers were wounded and some material damage was reported, the source added.

The Israeli military declined to comment on the report of the latest strikes.

Two Western intelligence sources who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter told the Reuters news agency the rocket strikes targeted the T4 air base located west of the ancient city of Palmyra, and al Dabaa airport near al Qusayr city near the Lebanese border, an area with members of Hezbollah.

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Israeli strikes in Syria

Israel has conducted many air strikes in Syria this month.

While Israel rarely comments on the strikes it carries out on Syria, it has repeatedly said it will not allow its arch-foe Iran to extend its footprint in the war-torn country.

Syria denies Western and Israeli allegations that Iran, whose top military officials frequently visit Syria, has an extensive military presence in the country.

The Syrian civil war broke out in 2011 when the brutal repression of peaceful anti-regime protests escalated into a deadly armed conflict.

Some 500,000 people have been killed and around half of Syria's pre-war population has been forced from their homes.

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