Key Lebanese militant killed in rocket strike in Syria


A Lebanese militant Samir Qantar has been killed in a rocket strike near the Syrian capital, Damascus, Hezbollah has said.

The Lebanese Shia militant group blamed Israel for the air strike.

Qantar who is said to be a key militant, was jailed in Israel in 1979 for a notorious deadly attack, and freed as part of a controversial prisoner swap with Hezbollah in 2008.

An Israeli Minister welcomed his death but did not confirm that Israel was responsible.

When asked about Israeli involvement, Construction and Housing Minister Yoav Gallant told Israel Radio: "I am not confirming or denying anything to do with this matter."

But he added: "It is good that people like Samir Qantar will not be part of our world."

The rockets hit a residential building in Jaramana near Damascus on Saturday night. The area is a stronghold of government supporters.

The Assad loyalist group, the National Defence Forces in Jaramana, said: "Two Israeli warplanes carried out the raid which targeted the building in Jaramana and struck the designated place with four long-range missiles."

Israel is believed to have carried out a number of attacks inside Syria during its civil conflict, targeting Hezbollah.

SOURCE: BBC News