Syria state media says Israel bombs military post in Aleppo

Israeli air strikes rarely occur as far north as Aleppo

People stand in front of a destroyed building, in an unspecified town in Aleppo province, northern Syria, on April 18, 2018. EPA

Israel bombed a military position in Aleppo province on Sunday, Syrian state media reported.

State news agency Sana quoted a military source as saying that missiles landed near an airbase.

"The Zionist enemy [Israel] … targeted with its missiles one of our military positions north of the Neirab military airport, but the damage was only material," the report said.

The Israeli military did not comment on the incident and rarely confirms strikes on Syrian positions.

Meanwhile, a UK-based war monitor said at least nine pro-government fighters were killed in the strikes. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that at least six Syrians were killed and that Iranian fighters were also stationed at the base. Sana, however, said there were no casualties.

The Observatory – which relies on a network of sources inside the country – had recorded a series of explosions around Neirab on Sunday night.

"They were caused by a missile attack, suspected to have been carried out by Israel, targeting positions held by Syria's regime and its allies at the Neirab airport and around it," it said.

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Israeli air strikes have hit Syrian army positions near Damascus and in the central provinces of Homs and Hama in the past.

However, they rarely occur as far north as Aleppo.

Israel has warned it will not tolerate the presence of archfoe Iran in Syria.

Tehran has dispatched military advisers to aid Syrian President Bashar Al Assad's efforts to fight back a seven-year uprising threatening his rule, while Iran-backed forces, including Hezbollah, have been in the country fighting alongside government forces.