Israel launched air strikes on the Syrian capital Damascus and a military site in the central province of Homs today. The Syrian Defence Ministry said the air strike killed one soldier and wounded seven others.

The attacks caused material damage and were launched from the direction of the occupied Golan Heights and northern Lebanon, the ministry said in a statement. Huge explosions were heard in Damascus earlier in the day.

Israel has been carrying out strikes against what it said were Iranian-linked targets in Syria for years. However, both Syrian and Iranian governments have denied the existence of Iranian military forces or bases in Syria. Israel has ramped up attacks on Syria with the escalation of Israel-Lebanon conflicts.