Syria, Russia blame Israel for Syrian airbase attack

Syria and Russia on Monday accused Israel of bombing a Syrian regime airbase by using its warplanes.

According to a statement by the Russian military, "Two Israeli F-15 warplanes carried out the strikes from Lebanese airspace, and that Syrian air defence systems shot down five of eight missiles fired in Homs."

Israel did not comment immediately in regards to the statement by Russia, The Guardian reported.

According to Syrian State TV, the T-4 airbase in Homs in western Syria was battered by "several missiles" in an "attack likely done by the US" early on Monday.

According to a military source, the missile attack caused an "unspecified number of deaths and injuries" respectively, reported Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)

The Pentagon denied any role in the military airbase attack in Homs and issued a statement, "At this time, the Department of Defence is not conducting airstrikes in Syria. However, we continue to closely watch the situation and support the ongoing diplomatic efforts to hold those who use chemical weapons, in Syria and otherwise, accountable."

At least 14 people, mostly Iranians or members of Iran-backed groups, were killed in the attack, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) monitoring group said.

Concerned by the permanent stationing of Iranian-backed troops in Syria on its border, Israel has a track record of undertaking independent strikes inside Syria largely with tacit rather than explicit US support.

Israel had launched airstrikes against the T-4 airbase in February, claiming that an Iranian drone launched from the airfield had flown into the country.

The T-4 base has been used by the Russian air force, but it is unknown whether Russian aircrafts were at the base when it came under attack.