Ahmet Dursun
ANKARA: Three Iranian militia were killed on Sunday in an overnight airstrike by Israeli forces in Syria, Iranian media reported.
Tiyas airbase in western Homs district came under attack, Fars News Agency said on Monday.
The slain militias were identified as Ammar Mousavi, Akbar Zavar Jannati and Mehdi Lotfi Naysar.
The Syrian regime said the base was attacked at around 4.00 a.m. local time (0200GMT) and there were reports of casualties.
Russia said two F-15 fighter jets bombed an airbase in Syria.
Israeli jets fired eight guided missiles at an airbase in Syria’s Homs province, five of which were intercepted, according to Russian Defense Ministry on Monday.
“On April 9 from 03.25 to 03.53 Moscow time, two F-15 jets of Israeli Air Forces, without entering Syrian air space, from territory of Lebanon, fired eight guided missiles at Tiyas air base.
“Three missiles reached the western part of the aerodrome, five were destroyed by the Syrian Air Defense Forces,” the ministry said in a statement.
The regime reportedly launches chemical attacks in Eastern Ghouta from the airbase.
Unconfirmed reports also suggest the presence of Iranian forces at the base.
Earlier, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights claimed the airstrikes killed 14 people, including Iranian citizens at the military base near the city of Homs in Syria.
The Syrian regime also confirmed that an airbase had been hit by a missile attack. (AA)
IRNA adds: A senior Iranian commander here on Monday denied the recent enemies’ media hues and cries over flight of unknown planes in Iranian airspace.
Addressing a local gathering, Commander of Khatam ol-Anbia Air Defense Base Brigadier General Farzad Esmaeili said such allegations are not worth answering.
He added that the Islamic Republic stands ready to deliver a crushing response to any country daring to make such stupid moves against the country or approach Iranian skies. The senior commander also hailed the latest achievements made by the Air Defense Base personnel. He added that Iran’s Air Defense Base is constantly fulfilling its duties and monitoring the country’s sky ’round the clock’.
Iran’s Air Defense Base, along with other units of the armed forces, plays a significant role in maintaining the country’s security.
In recent years, Iran has made great achievements in its defense sector and attained self-sufficiency in producing essential military equipment and systems.
Iran has repeatedly assured other nations, especially its regional neighbors, that its military might poses no threat to them, stating that its defense doctrine is merely based on deterrence.
