A British-based group monitoring the Syrian conflict says least six Iran-backed fighters have been killed in an Israeli rocket attack in central Syria.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on December 25 that the Israeli attack launched in the province of Hama also destroyed depots and rocket-manufacturing facilities belonging to pro-Iranian militias.

Earlier, the official Syrian news agency SANA reported that Israeli rockets had targeted the area of Masyaf in rural Hama.

The agency, citing a military source, added that Syrian air defenses had intercepted the “hostile” rockets and destroyed most of them.

SANA did not report any casualties nor damage resulting from the reported attack.

State television aired footage purporting to show air defenses responding to the attack.

There has been no comment from Israel, which rarely confirms details of its operations in Syria.

Along with Russia, Iran has provided crucial military support to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad during the Syrian conflict, which began with a crackdown on anti-government protesters in March 2011.

Israel accuses Iran of building up its military presence in Syria and has repeatedly struck Iran-linked facilities, positions, as well as weapons convoys destined for Hizballah fighters in the war-torn country.

Israel has carried out more than 30 air strikes on targets across Syria so far in the present year, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Based on reporting by AFP and dpa