Syrian air defences respond to 'hostile targets' in vicinity of Damascus- state media

Syrian air defences responded to "hostile targets" on Friday in the vicinity of Damascus, Syria's state media reported.

The U.S. military launched airstrikes earlier this month in Iraq and Syria against more than 85 targets linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guards and the militias it backs, in retaliation for an attack in Jordan in January that killed three U.S. troops. Since December, Israeli strikes have killed more than half a dozen of Revolutionary Guards, including a top intelligence general.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards have suffered one of their most bruising spells in Syria since arriving a decade ago to aid President Bashar al-Assad in the Syrian war, as the United States and Israel conduct strikes against Iran-backed militias in the country. Informed sources told Reuters that the Guards had pulled out some of their senior officers as a result. Iran's ambassador to Syria said on Thursday that Iran remained "present" in Syria. Iran's foreign minister is due in Lebanon on Friday and then Damascus early next week for meetings with top officials.

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