Syria’s official news agency SANA reported on Monday that the air defenses had intercepted “hostile targets” over the countryside around the city of Homs after confirming that explosions were heard in Homs and the coastal city of Tartus. The port of Tartus is home to a Russian naval base.

Later on, the Syrian military confirmed the attack, saying in a statement that the airstrike was conducted by Israeli aircraft from north of the Lebanese capital of Beirut.

The Syrian military announced most of incoming Israeli missiles were shot down, adding that two Syrian soldiers were injured and there was some material damage.

Moreover, the Lebanese media reported Israeli aircraft had been spotted over Lebanon shortly before the strikes were reported and that Syrian air defense system was activated to repel the aerial attacks.

The latest airstrike comes less than a week after Israel launched a similar attack with a number of missiles targeting a site in the town of Zakia on the outskirts of the capital Damascus. Citing an unknown military source, the Syrian state TV reported early on Wednesday that the attack resulted in “material damage”. The same area had been targeted by Israeli missiles in a rare daytime aggression in less than a week earlier.

Israel frequently targets military positions inside Syria, particularly those held by the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah, which has been a significant helping hand to the Syrian army in its fight against foreign-backed terrorists. The Tel Aviv regime mostly keeps quiet about its attacks on Syrian territories, which many view as knee-jerk reaction to the Syrian government’s increasing success in confronting terrorism.

Israel has been a main supporter of terrorist groups that have opposed the government of President Bashar al-Assad over the past ten years.