Israel attacks Syria's central region and Baniyas city, Syrian state media says

(Reuters): Israel launched air attacks on Syria's central region as well as the coastal city of Baniyas, killing a child and injuring ten civilians, Syrian state media said on Wednesday citing a military source.

"At approximately 19:30 pm, the Israeli enemy launched an air aggression from the direction of Lebanese territory, targeting a site in the central region and a residential building in Baniyas ... leading to the death of a girl, the injury of ten civilians," the source was quoted as saying.

Syrian state media reported earlier on Wednesday that the country's air defences had intercepted "hostile targets" over Homs, without giving further details.

There was no immediate word on the incidents from Israel, which typically does not comment on specific reports of strikes in Syria.

For years Israel has been carrying out attacks against what it has described as Iran-linked targets in Syria, where Tehran's influence has grown since it began supporting President Bashar al-Assad in the civil war that started in 2011.

Reported Israeli strikes on Syria have intensified sharply since the start of the war in Gaza last October.

In April, Iran retaliated by firing missiles at Israel after a presumed Israeli strike that destroyed a building in Iran's embassy compound in Damascus and killed several Iranian officers including a top general.