MENA

Syria intercepts Israeli missiles over Damascus, state media reports

Israeli missiles were intercepted on Sunday evening

Soraya Ebrahimi
Soraya Ebrahimi

April 01, 2021

  • English
  • Arabic

Syrian air defences intercepted "most" Israeli missiles aimed at Damascus on Sunday, Syrian state news agency Sana said.

Since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011, Israel has routinely carried out raids there, mostly against Iranian and Lebanese Hezbollah forces and government troops.

"At 10.16 this evening the Israeli enemy carried out an aerial attack from the direction of the occupied Syrian Golan on some targets in the Damascus area," Sana reported a military source as saying.

"Our air defence confronted the missiles and downed most of them."

There was no immediate report of casualties.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, said the strike hit the area of Sayyida Zeinab south of Damascus, where Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Lebanese Hezbollah are present.

The Israeli army said it did not comment on reports in foreign media.

Israeli state broadcaster Kan had reported that leaders of Israel's security establishment met on Sunday evening to discuss an attack on an Israeli-owned vessel in the Gulf of Oman this week.

Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz on Saturday said he believed Iran was behind Thursday's explosion on the MV Helios Ray, a vehicle carrier.

Israel rarely confirms strikes in Syria, its army has said it hit about 50 targets in the war-torn country in 2020.

It has consistently vowed to prevent its arch-enemy Iran from gaining a foothold in Syria.

This month, Israeli missile strikes against arms depots near Syria's capital killed at least nine pro-regime militia fighters, the Observatory reported.

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Why your domicile status is important

Your UK residence status is assessed using the statutory residence test. While your residence status – ie where you live - is assessed every year, your domicile status is assessed over your lifetime.

Your domicile of origin generally comes from your parents and if your parents were not married, then it is decided by your father. Your domicile is generally the country your father considered his permanent home when you were born. 

UK residents who have their permanent home ("domicile") outside the UK may not have to pay UK tax on foreign income. For example, they do not pay tax on foreign income or gains if they are less than £2,000 in the tax year and do not transfer that gain to a UK bank account.

A UK-domiciled person, however, is liable for UK tax on their worldwide income and gains when they are resident in the UK.

While you're here
EuropeSyriaUK