Israeli warplanes strike at Syria again

• Attacks targeted at Iranian missiles on way to Hezbollah
• Fatech-110 missiles equipped with precise guided systems
• Airstrikes come in wake of US
• warning Syria crossed 'red line'

Beirut (AP): Israeli warplanes struck areas in and around the Syrian capital on Sunday, setting off a series of explosions as they targeted a shipment of highly accurate, Iranian-made guided missiles believed to be on their way to Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group, officials and activists said. The attack, the second in three days, signaled a sharp escalation of Israel's involvement in Syria's bloody civil war. Syria's state media reported that Israeli missiles struck a military and scientific research center near the Syrian capital and caused casualties. An intelligence official in the Middle East, who spoke on condition of anonymity in order to disclose information about a secret military operation to the media, confirmed that Israel launched an airstrike in Damascus early on Sunday but did not give more precise details about the location. The target was Fateh-110 missiles, which have very precise guidance systems with better aim than anything Hezbollah has in its arsenal, the official said. The airstrikes come as Washington considers how to respond to indications that the Syrian regime may have used chemical weapons in its civil war. President Barack Obama has described the use of such weapons as a "red line," and the administration is weighing its options, including possible military action. Iran condemned the airstrikes but gave no other hints of a possible stronger response from Tehran or its allies. Israel has said it wants to stay out of the brutal Syria war, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly stated the Jewish state would be prepared to take military action to prevent sophisticated weapons from flowing from Syria to Hezbollah or other extremist groups. Israel and Hezbollah fought a monthlong war in mid-2006 that ended in a stalemate. Syria's state news agency SANA reported that explosions went off at the Jamraya military and scientific research center near Damascus and said "initial reports point to these explosions being a result of Israeli missiles." SANA said there were casualties but did not give a number.

Iran condemns attack Tehran (Agencies): Iran has condemned an Israeli airstrike in Syria on a shipment of Iranian-made missiles, but gave no other hints of a possible stronger response from Tehran or its allies. Its spokesman is quoted by the semi-official Fars news agency as denouncing the attack on the missiles, which were believed en route to Iranian-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon. It is the first Iranian comment since Israel launched a first round of airstrikes on Friday, then another round on Sunday. Iran urged countries in the region to remain united against Israel.