Israel, Syria trade strikes targeting nuclear reactor, air-defense systems

Israel’s military said it attacked the missile launcher and air defense systems in Syria in response to a missile launched from the neighboring country that set off air raid sirens near its nuclear reactor.

The Associated Press reported that the strike from Syria into Israel likely involved Iran, which has troops and proxies in Syria. The attacks mark the most serious violence between Israel and Syria in several years.

The Israeli army would not say if the incoming missile was intercepted by its missile-defense system but said there had been no damage reported.

Syria’s state-run news agency reported that four soldiers had been wounded in the strike by Israel near Damascus.

Iran did not claim responsibility or comment. The AP notes that a hard-line Iranian newspaper published an opinion piece over the weekend by an analyst suggesting to target Israel’s nuclear facility after Tehran blamed a blackout on an attack by Israel at its Natanz nuclear site earlier this month.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel will not allow Iran to develop the capability to develop nuclear weapons. Iran has maintained that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.

The incident Thursday comes amid U.S. attempts to revive the international nuclear deal with Iran.