Israel Bombs Syria Positions After Missile Lands Near Nuclear Site

Israel has targeted a number of positions in southern Syria after a missile landed in the direction of a secretive nuclear facility.

"A short while ago, surface-to-air missile fire was identified from Syria, which landed in the Negev area," the Israel Defense Forces said in a statement sent to Newsweek.

Sirens and explosions had been heard in the southern town of Abu Qrenat, near the Dimona nuclear facility. Israel neither confirms nor denies that it possesses nuclear weapons as part of a doctrine known as strategic ambiguity. It has, however, targeted the nuclear programs of enemy states such as Iraq and Syria in past decades, and has been tied to assassinations and acts of sabotage that continue to disrupt the nuclear facilities of its top foe, Iran.

The IDF then announced it retaliated.

"In response, a few minutes ago, the IDF struck the battery from which the missile was launched and additional Syrian surface-to-air batteries in the area."

Shortly after, the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency reported that the country's air defense systems were responding to an Israeli attack in the vicinity of the Al-Dumayr region northeast of the capital Damascus.

Israel has frequently targeted Syria throughout the country's decade-long civil war, largely focusing on targets suspected to be tied to Iran as well as Syrian anti-air systems.

This is a developing story and will be updated with more information as it becomes available.