Syria's defense minister was killed in a bomb attack on a high level security meeting in Damascus on Wednesday, July 18, state television said, as the revolt against Bashar al-Assad struck at the heart of the president's inner circle, according to Reuters.

State television said Defense Minister Daoud Rajha was killed in a "terrorist bombing".

Lebanon-based news channel al-Maydeen said several senior security officials had been killed in the attack while battles raged within sight of Assad's presidential palace.

Republican Guard troops sealed off the Shami hospital near the sign of the explosion in northern Damascus, indicating senior officials were among the wounded, activists contacted by telephone had said.

"The terrorist explosion which targeted the national security building in Damascus occurred during a meeting of ministers and a number of heads of (security) agencies," the television said.

The start of a fourth day of fighting in the capital early on Wednesday had already brought the 16-month-old revolt close to the center of power.

An army barracks near the "palace of the people", a huge Soviet-tile complex overlooking the sprawling capital from the western district of Dummar, came under rebel fire around 7.30 am (0030 EDT), activists and a resident said.