DAMASCUS, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- Israeli airstrikes on Thursday targeted several sites in and around the al-Qusayr city in central Syrian province of Homs, resulting in damage and five deaths, according to a war monitor and local media.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that three airstrikes hit Syrian territory on Thursday, targeting the Jisr al-Daf area south of al-Qusayr and several facilities in the city's industrial area.
The observatory said the strikes destroyed these facilities, adding it is unclear if there were weapons or military equipment linked to Hezbollah inside them.
Additional explosions were heard on the outskirts of the town of Hosh al-Sayed Ali near al-Qusayr, where Israel reportedly targeted routes used for arms transport by Hezbollah.
The observatory added that Syrian air defenses attempted to intercept the strikes but failed, saying at least one person, whose identity remains unknown, was killed in the attack on the industrial area.
It also noted that the strikes mark the first time that al-Qusayr, allegedly a Hezbollah stronghold, has been targeted since the beginning of the Israeli-Hezbollah conflict in Lebanon.
Meanwhile, Syria's Al-Watan Online newspaper, citing "well-informed sources," reported that five people were killed and several others wounded during the strikes.
Some media video footage showed huge clouds of dark smoke rising from the targeted sites.
The Israeli military has recently intensified strikes on Syria, targeting locations allegedly used by Iranian and Hezbollah-linked militias operating in the country.
Syria has repeatedly condemned these attacks, calling them violations of its sovereignty. ■
