Syrian rebel and intelligence sources said Israel struck an arms supply hub on Thursday, April 26 operated by the Lebanese Hezbollah group near Damascus airport where weapons from Tehran are regularly sent by commercial and military cargo planes, Reuters reports.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is backed in the country's six-year civil war by Russia, Iran and regional Shi'ite militias including Hezbollah, which is a close ally of Tehran and a sworn enemy of Israel.

Israeli Intelligence Minister Israel Katz, speaking from the United States, where he has been meeting U.S. officials, to Israeli Army Radio: "I can confirm that the incident in Syria corresponds completely with Israel's policy to act to prevent Iran's smuggling of advanced weapons via Syria to Hezbollah in Iran. Naturally, I don't want to elaborate on this."

"The prime minister has said that whenever we receive intelligence that indicated an intention to transfer advanced weapons to Hezbollah, we will act."

An Israeli military spokeswoman declined to comment.

Israeli officials have previously said they view any movement of advanced weaponry to Hezbollah units in Syria as a "red line" that would prompt it to carry out air strikes or artillery fire in the past.