Syrian media say air defenses responded to ‘hostile’ missile

Syria’s state-run media say the country’s air defenses have responded to a “hostile target” and destroyed the missile before it reached a central Syrian town.

The SANA news agency said on Friday that the projectile had entered the Syrian airspace overnight from Lebanon’s airspace, heading toward the town of Masyaf in Hama province.

The report suggested, without saying outright, that the missile was fired by Israel. SANA says the incoming projectile was destroyed before it reached its target.

There was no immediate comment from Israel.

Israel has carried out strikes in the past inside war-torn Syria on Iran- and Hezbollah-linked targets but rarely confirms them.

Syrian military posts in Masyaf were previously hit in suspected Israelis strikes.

Russia has upgraded Syrian air defense systems, delivering the S-300 system last year.