Syrian state media withdraws report on airstrike near Damascus airport

Hours after reporting that Syrian air defences had repelled an attack near the Damascus International Airport, the country's state media on Sunday took down the reports, claiming that no airstrikes had occurred.

The state-run SANA news agency and state television earlier said that the country's air defences had intercepted enemy aerial targets in the vicinity of Damascus International airport in the southern part of the city, Sputnik reported. However, the report was later withdrawn from Syrian state media without any reason.

A source at the airport said that there was "no attack" and air traffic is operating under "normal routine".

The Syrian President Bashar-al Assad regime has repeatedly accused Israel of conducting airstrikes near the airport.

The Israeli government has been carrying out hundreds of airstrikes, against what it says are Iranian targets in Syria, most of them in the southern part of Damascus city.

Syria also claims that Israel supports the terrorist groups, including the Islamic State since civil war broke out in the war-torn country in 2011.