Israel conducted a rare airstrike on a military target inside Syria, foreign officials and Syrian state TV say, amid fears President Bashar al-Assad's regime is providing weapons to the Islamic militant group Hezbollah.
A statement from the Syrian military read aloud on state TV confirmed the strike, saying the jets bombed a military research centre in the area of Jamraya, northwest of the capital, Damascus.
The statement said the centre was responsible for "raising the level of resistance and self-defence" of Syria's military. It said the strike destroyed the centre and a nearby building, killing two workers and wounding five others.
U.S. and regional security officials reported the strike earlier Wednesday but did not say exactly where it took place.
Regional security officials said Israel had been planning in the days leading up to the airstrike to hit a shipment of weapons bound for Hezbollah, Lebanon's most powerful military force.
Among Israeli officials' chief fears is that Assad will pass chemical weapons or sophisticated anti-aircraft missiles to Hezbollah something that could change the balance of power in the region and greatly hinder Israel's ability to conduct air sorties in Lebanon.
The regional officials said the shipment Israel was planning to strike included Russian-made SA-17 anti-aircraft missiles, which would be strategically "game-changing" in the hands of Hezbollah by enabling the group to carry out fiercer attacks on Israel and shoot down Israeli jets, helicopters and surveillance drones.
Hezbollah has committed to Israel's destruction and has gone to war against the Jewish state in the past.
A U.S. official confirmed the strike, saying it hit a convoy of trucks.
All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the strike.
The Israeli military declined to comment.
bombs always hurt but syria seems particularly hurt that this one was dropped by israel