Israeli strike near Syrian capital causes material damage

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Syria says Israel has fired several missiles toward military positions near Damascus, causing material damage. State media quoted an unnamed military official as saying that the attack occurred shortly before midnight Thursday, adding that some of the Israeli missiles were shot down by Syrian air defenses. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, said the missiles struck positions of Iran-backed fighters southwest of the capital, near the suburb of Qatana. There was no comment from the Israeli military. Israel has staged hundreds of strikes on targets inside government-controlled Syria over the years but rarely acknowledges or discusses such operations.