Militants struck at the tower in the central Marjeh Square district

Two people were killed and several others wounded in a car bomb and shellfire in Syria’s capital Damascus on Wednesday, state television said.

“Two killed and 14 injured in terrorist attacks on Damascus Tower and Maysat Square,” it reported.

They struck at the tower in the central Marjeh Square district, and the car bomb went off in the northeast of the city.

Images of security forces gathered around a burnt-out skeleton of a car in Maysat Square were broadcast on state television.

The blast came as regime forces battle to flush out ISIS from the southern districts of the capital, including Yarmouk and the adjacent Hajar Al Aswad neighbourhood.

In this photo, released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, smoke rises after shelling, apparently by ISIS, in Damascus on May 9. AP

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor, says ISIS fighters have previously targeted the capital in recent weeks.

"ISIS in southern Damascus has fired rockets intermittently on the capital" since April 19 when pro-government forces ramped up their fight against the extremists, Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said.

The Damascus regime set its sights on Yarmouk and nearby areas after retaking the former rebel bastion of Eastern Ghouta east of the capital last month.

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Meanwhile, at least 15 people were killed in a suspected Israeli attack on Iranian military facilities in south of Damascus on Tuesday, the Observatory said.

“The number increased to at least 15, including at least eight Iranian, killed by the missile strikes,” it said on Wednesday.

The strikes hit an arms depot of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards in the Kiswa area late on Tuesday.

This photo, released by SANA, shows damage inside an office that was hit by shelling. AP

On Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu travelled to Russia to meet with President Vladimir Putin and discuss military co-ordination amid the new strikes.

"The meetings between us are always important and this one is especially so," Mr Netanyahu said ahead of his departure. "In light of what is currently happening in Syria, it is necessary to ensure the continued co-ordination" between the two militaries. He made no mention of the overnight strikes.

Israeli officials have repeatedly said that they were concerned over Iran’s presence in Syria, where, like Moscow, Tehran backs President Bashar Al Assad.

Israel has in the past been accused of carrying out deadly strikes in Syria, with reports of Iranian forces killed but has not acknowledged those strikes. It has, however, admitted to carrying out dozens of raids in Syria to allegedly stop deliveries of arms to the Tehran-backed Hezbollah militia, which is also fighting alongside the Assad forces.</s>Shelling and a blast in Syria’s capital Damascus killed two people and wounded several others on Wednesday, state television said.

It reported “two killed and 14 wounded in terrorist attacks on Damascus Tower and Maysat Square”.

The shellfire struck at the tower in the central Marjeh Square district, while a second blast destroyed a car in the northeast of the city, it said.

State television first reported that the second blast was due to an explosive device inside a vehicle, but then said it may have been caused by rocket fire on the area.

An AFP correspondent in Damascus heard two large explosions.

State television broadcast images of security forces gathering around the mangled, burnt-out skeleton of a car in Maysat Square.

A few metres away, the metal shell of a small bus also appeared blackened.

Bassam al-Dahni, a government employee, said he had run to the scene after hearing what he described as a “large blast”.

Those who arrived found “wounded on the ground and we helped to get them to a hospital”, he told AFP, blood visible on his hands.

The body of the car’s driver was found burnt through, he said.

The two attacks came as regime forces battle to oust Islamic State group jihadists from the southern districts of the capital, including Yarmuk and the adjacent Hajar al-Aswad neighbourhood.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor, says IS fighters have previously targeted the capital in recent weeks.

“IS in southern Damascus has fired rockets intermittently on the capital” since April 19 when pro-government forces ramped up their fight against the jihadists, Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said.

The Damascus regime set its sights on Yarmuk and nearby areas after retaking the former rebel bastion of Eastern Ghouta east of the capital last month.</s>Syrians gather next to a burnt bus hit in shelling, allegedly by Islamic State fighters, in Damascus (Photo | AP)

BEIRUT: A bomb blast and shells fired by insurgents on the center of Damascus today killed four people and wounded 24, Syria's state media said.

State media initially said three shells hit the city center, and only reported the separate explosion later in the day.

State news agency SANA said three shells struck a tall building known as the Damascus Tower and a nearby area, and that there was an explosion in Maysat Square.

State TV showed a charred minibus as well as damaged cars in the area where the bombing occurred.

It was not immediately clear what kind of bomb was used.

The shells were apparently fired by Islamic State group fighters in the southern part of the city, where the extremists have been battling government forces for more than two weeks.

Syrian troops are advancing in the southern neighbourhood of Hajar al-Aswad and the nearby Palestinian refugee camp of Yarmouk.

Last week, government forces were able to separate IS fighters in Hajar al-Aswad from those in Yarmouk, a built-up residential area once home to tens of thousands of Syrians and Palestinians.

The capture of Yarmouk, Hajar al-Aswad and other areas would bring all of Damascus under government control.</s>Report informs citing the Haaretz, missiles had targeted a research center in the town of Jamraya, northern Damascus

According to reports, three explosions were heard in the Damascus area. Assad regime has confirmed that Israel has attacked Syria and the army responded to the missile attack.

Sources close to the Syrian government said .

No casualties or damage were reported.</s>UPDATE: Syria says Israel struck near Damascus as IDF opens shelters bracing for Iranian attack

Explosions were reported south of Damascus on Tuesday, shortly after the Israeli army announced it believes Iran is planning to carry out an imminent strike from Syria. Reports in Syria said Israeli jets entered the country's airspace,

The reports come on the heels of U.S. President Donald Trump's dramatic withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal. Ahead of the announcement, Israel had ordered to open the bomb shelters to open in communities along the northern border.

Officials believe Iran is determined to retaliate for the April 9 airstrike on Syria’s T4 airbase, which killed seven Iranian military advisers and members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards. Iran blames Israel for this attack.</s>By AFP - May 10,2018 - Last updated at May 10,2018

Syrian people wait to be evacuated in Al Rastan town of Homs to Al Bab district of Syria on Tuesday (Anadolu Agency photo)

BEIRUT, Lebanon — Hundreds of Syrian rebels left an area south of Damascus on Thursday, a monitor and state media said, leaving the capital threatened only by the Daesh terrorist group.

The departure of the last group of rebel fighters and their families from Yalda, Babila, and Beit Saham marked the conclusion of a week of evacuations from the three towns.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor told AFP that 15 buses carrying hundreds of fighters and their relatives left the towns and were heading towards opposition territory in northern Syria.

"For the first time since 2011, there are no opposition fighters in or around Damascus except the Daesh group," said Rami Abdel Rahman, director of the Britain-based observatory.

Daesh still controls a pocket of territory inside the Yarmouk Palestinian camp and the adjacent Hajar Al Aswad district, both inside Damascus.

Government forces have been pressing a ferocious weeks-long assault against them there.

The agreement for Yalda, Babila, and Beit Saham was reached last week and follows a pattern of similar deals through which Syria's government has recaptured swathes of territory around Damascus.

"Yalda, Babila, and Beit Saham south of Damascus have been cleared of terrorism, after the final wave of terrorists who did not want to reconcile [with the government] left to northern Syria with their families," said state news agency SANA.

It said government security forces were preparing to enter the three towns.</s>BEIRUT: Hundreds of Syrian rebels left an area south of Damascus on Thursday, a monitor and state media said, leaving the capital threatened only by the Islamic State group.

Fifteen buses carrying hundreds of fighters and their relatives left the towns of Yalda, Babila, and Beit Saham on the southern edge of Damascus, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor.

"The convoy is on its way to opposition territory in northern Syria," the Observatory told AFP.

In all, the Observatory said, 8,400 people had been evacuated from the three towns since a deal was reached one week ago for the negotiated withdrawals.

"For the first time since 2011, there are no opposition fighters in or around Damascus except the Islamic State group," said Rami Abdel Rahman, director of the Britain-based monitor.

IS still controls a pocket of territory inside the Yarmuk Palestinian camp and the adjacent Hajar al-Aswad district, both inside Damascus.

Government forces have been pressing a ferocious weeks-long assault against them there and continued to carry out air strikes there on Thursday.

The agreement for Yalda, Babila, and Beit Saham was reached on May 3 and follows a pattern of similar deals through which Syria's government has recaptured swathes of territory around Damascus.

"Yalda, Babila, and Beit Saham south of Damascus have been cleared of terrorism, after the final wave of terrorists who did not want to reconcile (with the government) left to northern Syria with their families," said state news agency SANA.

It said government security forces were preparing to enter the three towns, which had for several years fallen under a "reconciliation" agreement with the Syrian state.

That meant they remained in rebel hands but a local ceasefire was enforced.

This year, however, President Bashar al-Assad has appeared more determined than ever to secure the entirety of the capital and its surroundings with a blend of military pressure and negotiated withdrawals.

It used the same strategy on the Eastern Ghouta rebel stronghold, which it recaptured last month, and on an area northeast of the capital</s>CAR BOMB: A vehicle has been exploded in a busy Damascus square

The explosion went off in Maysat Sqaure, Damascus, leaving thick black smoke trailing into the sky.

Two people have been killed and several more wounded according to state television.

A local journalist claimed the impact was "far larger than regular mortar attack".

Official casualty numbers are not yet known.

There are also reports of a second explosion, which is yet to be confirmed.</s>At least four people were killed and 24 wounded on Wednesday in two rocket blasts in Damascus, the official Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported.

According to SANA, one rocket destroyed a car parked in al-Maisat Square killing two people and wounding 11 others, while another rocket hit the upper floors of the Damascus Commercial Tower in the al-Marjah district, leaving two dead and 13 wounded, mostly women and children.</s>Syrian government forces are battling Islamic State militants to gain back control of the capital, Damascus.

Shelling continued Wednesday in the area of Yarmouk, which was a Palestinian refugee camp home to about 160,000 people before they fled the conflict, the CBC's Margaret Evans reported.

The last rebel group fighting government forces there is ISIS.

"It is a significant battle for a number of reasons," Evans reported as she stood on an abandoned street.

"[Yarmouk is] in the city, so it means that ISIS can still shell targets in the centre of Damascus, as they did today."

Four people were killed and 24 wounded on Wednesday by the militants, according to the Syrian state news agency SANA.

Three shells struck a tall building known as the Damascus Tower and a nearby area, SANA reported. There was also an explosion in Maysat Square. State TV showed a charred minibus as well as damaged cars in the area where the bombing occurred.

Yarmouk is one of the last remaining areas of Damascus where rebels are still fighting the government.

If the government forces defeat ISIS there, "they will have cleared all of the various rebel groups that have for years been fighting in villages and suburbs around Damascus and that would free up the capital city of Syria in a way that people haven't seen for seven years of war," Evans reported.

"That would be a major feather in the cap of the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, who continues to make gains in this conflict."

More than 250,000 people have died in the Syrian conflict since 2011, according to the United Nations, and millions more have been forced from their homes.

Human rights organizations have accused both al-Assad's regime and rebel forces of atrocities against civilians in the war. In April, the U.S., along with France and the U.K., launched airstrikes against targets associated with a chemical attack allegedly ordered by al-Assad in Douma.
A car bomb and shellfire hit Marjeh Square in Damascus, Syria, killing two people and injure 14 others.