DAMASCUS: Syrian air defenses successfully intercepted a series of Israeli airstrikes targeting military positions in central and southern Syria, as reported by the state news agency SANA. The attacks, which reportedly originated from the occupied Syrian Golan Heights and Lebanon, were met with a robust defensive response early Saturday morning. According to National news agency - Lebanon, the strikes began around 2:00 am local time, prompting the activation of Syrian air defenses. An unnamed military source confirmed that the targeted areas included regions around Damascus, with the sound of explosions reported in the vicinity of the Syrian capital. The Israeli military concurrently announced that it was conducting "precision strikes" in Iran, further escalating regional tensions. The latest offensive follows closely on the heels of previous Israeli airstrikes that hit both a residential area in Damascus and a military site in Homs earlier this week. Those attacks resulted in the death of one soldier and i njuries to seven others, as reported by Syrian state media. The previous strikes also targeted the Kafr Sousa district of Damascus and a military site near Homs, marking a continued pattern of Israeli military activity in the region. The ongoing conflict underscores the volatile security situation in the Middle East, with both Syrian and Israeli military forces remaining on high alert amid escalating tensions.