Damascus, Dec 5 (IANS): Israel launched a missile attack against a Syrian military base in the countryside of the capital Damascus late on Monday, the state news agency SANA reported.

The Syrian air defenses responded to the attack, destroying three of six missiles targeting the military base in the town of Jamraya, some 8 km northwest of Damascus, Xinhua cited the report as saying.

People in Damascus heard the powerful sound of explosions at the time of the airstrikes near midnight.

The military research centre in Jamraya was hit by Israeli jets on May 5, 2013. At the time the Israelis said they struck Hezbollah-bound missiles in that base.

Also, the attack comes just two days after Israel stuck another military base in the town of Kisweh in the southwestern countryside of Damascus.

At that time, the army was said to have destroyed two missiles while the rest hit the base, causing damages.

Israeli officials have said several times that they would not accept any Iranian influence near their borders.

The Syrian government has repeatedly accused Israel of aiding the rebels near the Golan Heights.