Israeli Strike on Syria Targeted Weapons Shipment An Israeli airstrike against Syria was targeting a shipment of advanced missiles believed to be bound for the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, Israeli officials confirmed Saturday. It was the second Israeli strike this year against Syria and the latest salvo in its long-running effort to disrupt Hezbollah's quest to build an arsenal capable of defending against Israel's air force and spreading destruction inside the Jewish state. The strike comes as the U.S. considers how to respond to indications that the Syrian regime may have used chemical weapons in its bloody civil war. President Barack Obama has described the use of such weapons as a "red line," and the administration is weighing its options - including possible military action. The Israeli officials said the attack took place early Friday and was aimed at sophisticated "game-changing" weapons, but not chemical arms. One official said the target was a shipment of advanced, long-range ground-to-ground missiles but was not more specific. They did not say where the attack took place, or whether the air force carried out the strike from Lebanese or Syrian airspace. The Israeli officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to disclose information about a secret military operation to the media. U.S. officials had earlier confirmed the airstrike but said only that it appeared to have hit a warehouse. Calls to the Israeli military and foreign and defense ministries were not immediately answered. Syria's assistant information minister, Khalaf Muftah, told Hezbollah's Manar TV that he has "no information about an aggression that was staged," and said reports of an Israeli air raid "come in the framework of psychological war in preparation of an aggression against Syria." Hezbollah declined comment. Israel has cast a wary eye on Syria's civil war, which has on several occasions spilled over onto its border as well as other neighboring countries, including Turkey, Lebanon and Iraq. The Jewish state is particularly worried about President Bashar Assad regime's stockpile of chemical weapons being transferred to Hezbollah or falling into the hands of Islamic extremists fighting in the rebel ranks. Concerns about Syria's chemical weapons have spiked in recent weeks amid growing indications that the Assad regime may have used them against the uprising at home. The U.S. has said intelligence indicates the Syrian government likely has used the deadly nerve agent sarin on at least two occasions, echoing earlier assessments from allies Britain, France and Israel. Obama has characterized the use of chemical weapons as a "game-changer" that would have "enormous consequences," but has also said he needs more definitive proof before making a decision about how to respond - and whether to take military action. There appears to be little push at the moment to intervene directly, and Obama said Friday that he didn't foresee a scenario in which the U.S. would send troops to Syria.