Israeli air strike (archive image)
Israeli air strike (archive image)Reuters

The Syrian government and state-run media accused Israel on Tuesday of “state terrorism”, following a series of military strikes on targets inside Syrian territory that left 15 dead.

“Israeli authorities are increasingly practicing state terrorism,” the Assad regime’s foreign ministry said Tuesday morning in a statement carried by the SANA outlet, a government mouthpiece.

"The latest heinous Israeli aggression falls within the framework of ongoing Israeli attempts to prolong the crisis in Syria.”

The Syrian government filed a complaint against Israel at the United Nations Security Council, calling the strikes “dangerous and hostile”, and accusing the US of backing the Israeli strikes.

Sites outside of Damascus and Homs were hit in a series of strikes between Sunday night and early Monday morning.

The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that airstrikes and fire from Israeli naval vessels killed at least nine soldiers, most of them Iranians.

In addition, the SOHR reported that six civilians, including three children, were killed in the bombings.

The air strikes have been attributed to Israel – both by the SOHR and the Syrian government-run media outlet SANA.

Israel has refused to comment on the strikes, in keeping with its policy of not claiming responsibility for attacks on Iranian and Assad regime targets in Syria.

The attacks targeted Assad regime and Iranian military positions outside of Damascus, SOHR reported, along with facilities used by the Hezbollah terrorist organization.

At least 10 sites in the Damascus area were struck, SOHR reported.

Among the targets hit by the strikes were the headquarters of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards’ 91st Brigade, stationed south of Damascus; a military research center, and ammunition storage facilities near Qara, just east of the Lebanese border.