The state news agency of Syria has stated that at least 14 people have died as a result of multiple suspected Israeli strikes against targets throughout the country.

It claims that five locations—including a centre for scientific research—were targeted.

Israel has not responded to this most recent incident and typically stays silent about attacks that occur in Syria.
According to a UK-based war monitor, pro-Iranian armaments development professionals worked at military locations in the city of Masyaf, which was the target of the waves of attacks.

The Israeli strikes have reportedly been stepped up since the start of the war in Gaza in October last year, in response to cross-border attacks on northern Israel by Hezbollah and other groups in Lebanon and Syria.

Sana cited a Syrian military source as saying that Israeli aircraft flying over north-western Lebanon launched missiles at “a number of military sites in the central region” at around 23:20 local time (20:20 GMT) on Sunday.

"Our air defence shot down some missiles,” the military source added.

The news agency reported that the strikes also caused damage to a local highway and that a fire broke out in the Hair Abbas area.

A group based in the UK called the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that "13 violent explosions rang out in the zone housing scientific research centres in Masyaf where pro-Iranian groups and weapons development experts are present." The organisation monitors the conflict in the country through a network of sources on the ground.

It stated that four unnamed troops and three civilians who were in a car died.