Israeli Minister Confirms Airstrikes in Syria Targeted Arms for Hezbollah

The Israeli Air Force carried out airstrikes on a convoy in Syria, carrying a batch of weapons for Hezbollah, according to Israeli Intelligence and Atomic Energy Minister Yisrael Katz.

TEL AVIV (Sputnik) — A convoy carrying weapons to the Shiite Hezbollah movement was a target of recent Israeli airstrikes in Syria, Israeli Intelligence and Atomic Energy Minister Yisrael Katz confirmed Sunday.

Katz’s comment came in the wake of reports that Israeli aircraft had carried out several strikes inside Syria overnight Thursday.

"The Israeli Air Force carried out airstrikes on a convoy in Syria, carrying a batch of weapons for Hezbollah," Katz said in a statement, distributed by his press service.

The Syrian Army command said in a statement it had downed one of the Israeli Air Force jets that violated its airspace, while the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) denied these claims to Sputnik.

On Friday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would continue its efforts to prevent attempts to arm Hezbollah.

Fighters of the Hezbollah organization, established in 1980s, have been assisting the Syrian government in its struggle against terrorist groups, including the Islamic State (IS), outlawed in Russia and the United States, among other nations. Israel, as well as some other states, consider Hezbollah a terrorist organization.