After Gaza, Lebanon, Israel airstrikes Damascus, Syria's state TV says

Three civilians have been killed and nine others wounded as Israeli launched airstrike in Damascus after Gaza and Lebanon,  Syria state-run media has reported.

The Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) earlier reported that its television anchor Safaa Ahmad was killed on Tuesday in “treacherous Israeli aggression” targeting the Syrian capital.

Footage posted on social media appeared to show a car engulfed in flames on a street surrounded by apartment blocks.

It was not clear if the presenter was among the three civilian casualties referred to by state media.

Israel’s Ministry of Defense and military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The reports of Israeli strikes on the Syrian capital came as its military began “limited, localised, and targeted” ground raids in neighbouring Lebanon in a major escalation of its offensive targeting the armed group Hezbollah.

In his first address since Israel’s killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, the group’s deputy leader Naim Qassem said on Monday that its forces were “prepared and ready” for a ground invasion.

“We will win, just as we won in our confrontation with Israel in 2006,” Qassem said in a video message.