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Missiles shot down over Syrian government airbase: state media

Syrian state media outlets have said government air defenses responded to an "aggression" aimed at one of its airbases. They did not say who was responsible for the strike.

Syrian state TV footage showing missile (Reuters/Syrian TV News)

Syrian state TV showed a blurry image of the apparent attack

Syrian government air defenses have shot down missiles targeting Shayrat Airbase in the western province of Homs, state media reported on Tuesday.

The apparent attack came days after the US, France and Britain conducted a coordinated missile attack against Syrian government targets.

What we know so far:

State-run news agency SANA reported air defenses had shot down some of the missiles targeting the base.
State-run television showed images of an intercepted missile and called the attack an "aggression."
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based war monitor, reported that big explosions were heard near Shayrat airbase and two other airbases near Damascus.
The US Department of Defense said there was "no U.S. military activity in that area at this time."
Asked about the incident, an Israeli military spokesman said: "We don't comment on such reports."
Separately, a media outlet run by Hezbollah, a pro-Iranian militia, said Syrian government air defenses had shot down three missiles targeting Dumair military airport north east of the capital Damascus.

The airbase was the same one targeted by the US in April 2017

Site of previous US attack: The Shayrat airbase was the target of an April 2017 US missile attack in response to an earlier chemical weapons attack by the Syrian government.

Saturday's strike: The US, France and the UK launched airstrikes against Syrian government targets on Saturday in response to an alleged chemical weapons attack by the government on civilians in Douma city near Damascus.

Israeli interventions: Tel Aviv has carried out multiple airstrikes on Syrian government targets during the conflict. Syria and its allies most recently accused Israel of launching a strike against Syria's T4 airbase in Homs, killing four Iranian military personnel. Iran is a longstanding ally of Syrian President Bashar Assad.

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