SYRIAN air defences shot down a number of Israeli missiles on the outskirts of the capital Damascus today, according to military sources.

Footage appeared to show rockets being destroyed before they could reach their targets in the latest air assault launched by Tel Aviv.

There was no comment from the Israeli Defence Force (IDF), which rarely acknowledges such attacks, but Israel frequently insists that it is targeting pro-Iranian forces in Syria.

The missiles were downed at about 1.26am, according to the Syrian armed forces, who said that they came from the direction of south-eastern Beirut in neighbouring Lebanon.

Israel has conducted hundreds of air raids inside Syria as it seeks to oust President Bashar al-Assad, and banish Hezbollah forces from the country, who are fighting against jihadist groups there.

Lebanon has complained to the United Nations over the repeated use of its airspace, which it says is a “blatant violation” of Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 war with Israel.

Last week Syria called on the UN Security Council and Secretary General Antonio Guterres “to take firm and immediate measures to prevent the repeated Israeli attacks against Syria.”

Mr Assad has vowed to drive out all occupying forces from the country, including the US and Turkey.

Earlier this week mass protests were seen in the north-eastern Hasaka province, where Turkey has  been accused of violations of international law for blocking water supply to its one million residents.

Civil, social and religious groups released a statement on Thursday warning of a “criminal policy against the Syrian people … amid absolute international silence.”

They called for the international community and human rights organisations to intervene and end the nation’s “severe suffering.”