Violent explosions rocked a major military airbase in the capital Damascus on Wednesday, reported a monitor group.

Following the blasts, a fire broke out in the Mazzeh airbase in the Mazzeh neighborhood west of Damascus, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The UK-based watchdog group said it wasn't yet clear whether the airbase was hit with airstrikes, however pan-Arab al-Mayadeen TV cited military sources as saying that Israel struck targets inside the airbase.

It added that Israeli warplanes fired at the airbase from Lebanese airspace. Official Syrian media has yet to comment on the incident.

If true, it would be the second Israeli strike in less than 10 days. As on Nov. 30, Israeli warplanes fired rockets at military posts in western Damascus, causing property damage, according to a military statement.

Israel often justifies its strikes as either in retaliation to stray shelling which targets areas under its control in the Golan Heights area, or strikes targeting posts of the Lebanese Hezbollah group in Syria.

source: Xinhua