Israel Launches Airstrike Into Syria

US officials say Israel has launched an airstrike into Syria, apparently targeting a suspected weapons site.

CNN said the strike took place overnight on Thursday into Friday, just as Israel was flying many warplanes over Lebanon.
Israel has targeted weapons in the past that it believes are being delivered to the Lebanon-based militant group Hezbollah.



The reports came hours after Barack Obama refused to rule out options in dealing with the crisis in Syria but said he did not foresee sending in US ground troops.

Mr Obama said if use of chemical weapons in Syria is confirmed, the US will present that evidence to the international community, because it concerns the entire world.But he called for caution to avoid unintended consequences, saying: It's important for us to do it right."

Meanwhile, warnings of a new "large-scale massacre" in Syria have emerged following reports President Assad's troops bombarded Sunni areas near the city of Bania.

The opposition National Coalition accused the regime of "war crimes and genocide", citing witness reports of civilians being stabbed to death.

"The Coalition calls on the Arab League and the United Nations to act rapidly to save the civilians of Baida, Banias and other villages across Syria," it said in a statement.

"Several sources in the village say at least 50 people were killed in summary executions and shelling in Baida village,"Rami Abdel Rahman, of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, told AFP news agency.

Syria's official Sana news agency said troops killed "terrorists" and seized arms in an operation targeting rebels.

Regular forces were supported by pro-regime "shabiha" militiamen, said the Observatory, which relies on a network of sources on the ground for its information.

The Banias region is predominantly Alawite, an offshoot of Shi'ite Islam and the sect of President Assad, while the insurgents battling to topple his regime are mainly Sunni Muslims.

source: sky news