Israeli forces raid site near Syria capital

DAMASCUS, Aug 28 (AFP): Israeli forces conducted an airborne raid on a site near the Syrian capital after bombing it several times, Syrian state media reported.

Israel has not confirmed the raid, but Defence Minister Israel Katz said its forces operate "in all combat zones" to ensure the country's security.

If verified, it would be the deepest such operation Israel has carried out inside Syria since an Islamist alliance seized power in Damascus in December.

Israeli jets struck the site near Kisweh, outside Damascus on Tuesday, killing six Syrian soldiers according to the foreign ministry, and bombed it again on Wednesday according to state television.

Quoting a government source, state news agency SANA said soldiers had found "surveillance and eavesdropping devices" in the area before it was hit by Israeli strikes on Tuesday.

A defence ministry official told AFP on condition of anonymity that the target was a former Syrian military base in Tal Maneh, near Kisweh.

Following the second attack on Wednesday, SANA said Israeli troops were flown into the area to carry out a raid.