Syria says it intercepted missile fired from northern Lebanon

State media reports huge blast near Masyaf city in Hama province

Civilians from Hama and south-eastern Idlib flee battles between Syrian governmnt forces and rebels on August 14, 2019. AFP

Syrian air defences destroyed a missile that was fired towards the city of Masyaf near Hama late on Thursday and destroyed, a Syrian military source said.

The missile was fired from the direction of northern Lebanon, the source added in a statement distributed on a messaging app.

State television had previously reported the sound of a massive blast near Masyaf in Hama province although there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties.

Israel has acknowledged repeatedly striking targets inside Syria in recent years, and some attacks Damascus has attributed to Israel have been made from Lebanese airspace.

Israel wants to stop a military build-up in Syria by its arch regional foe Iran and Tehran's close military ally the Lebanese Hezbollah group, which are both fighting on President Bashar Al Assad's side in Syria's eight-year civil war.

The strike comes amid clashes between the regime and rebel fighters further north in Syria's north-western province of Idlib, where Mr Al Assad's forces and its allies are trying to retake the last major rebel-held territory in the country.