UPDATE 2-Syrian air defenses confront "Israeli aggression" in Hama - state media

Syrian air defenses confronted early on Friday "an Israeli aggression" in the governorate of Hama, state media said, after reporting that explosions were heard there.

Israel has carried out hundreds of airstrikes in Syria in recent years against suspected Iranian military deployments or arms transfers to Tehran-backed Lebanese Hezbollah guerrillas. "At about four o'clock in the morning today, the Israeli enemy launched an aerial aggression with a barrage of missiles coming from the direction of the Lebanese city of Tripoli, aiming at some targets in the vicinity of Hama governorate," Syrian state media said, citing a military source.

"Our air defenses confronted the enemy's missiles and downed most of them." The Israeli military declined to comment.

In previous statements, Israel has described its Syria strikes as necessary to protect its northern front from Iran.

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