Three civilians killed in Israeli airstrike on Damascus, state media says

(Reuters) -Three civilians were killed and nine others injured in an Israeli airstrike on the Syrian capital Damascus, Syrian state media said early on Tuesday citing a military source.

Syrian state television earlier said that one of its presenters was killed in an Israeli strike on Damascus. It was unclear whether the presenter was among the three civilians mentioned by state media.

The Israeli air attack also caused a significant damage to private property, state media added.

Syrian air defences intercepted "hostile targets" over the vicinity of Damascus three times in a row in one night, following explosions that were heard in the capital, state media said earlier on Tuesday.

When asked about the reported attack, the Israeli military said it does not comment on foreign media reports.

Israel has been carrying out strikes against Iran-linked targets in Syria for years but has ramped up such raids since last year's Oct. 7 attack by Palestinian group Hamas on Israeli territory.

(Reporting by Yomna Ehab, Ahmed Tolba and Hatem Maher; Editing by Tom Hogue, Jamie Freed and Michael Perry)