5 killed in Israeli strike on Damascus, Syria says

Syria's military says five people have died after what it alleged were Israeli missiles hit the capital Damascus and surrounding areas on Sunday.

Officials said a building was hit in the central Kafr Sousa neighbourhood, killing four civilians and one soldier.

The densely populated district is home to a large, heavily guarded security complex.

Israel's military declined to comment on the strike when approached by Reuters news agency.

Israel frequently attacks targets in Syria linked to Iran and Hezbollah militants but rarely acknowledges its actions. However, attacks on residential areas are rare.

Sunday's attack was the first since a devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck the north-west of the country, as well as parts of neighbouring Turkey, 12 days ago.

The Kafr Sousa area is home to senior officials and security agencies, but also civilians living in residential buildings.

"In general, Macron is priceless," she said, adding that his remarks showed the West had engaged in discussions about regime change in Russia while Macron had repeatedly sought meetings with the Russian leadership.

Macron has drawn criticism from some NATO allies for delivering mixed messages regarding his policy on the war between Ukraine and Russia, with some considering Paris a weak link in the Western alliance.

On Friday, Macron urged allies to step up military support for Ukraine, but also said he did not believe in regime change and that there would have to be negotiations at some point.

"Let’s be clear, I don't believe for one second in regime change, and when I hear a lot of people calling for regime change I ask them, 'For which change? Who’s next? Who is your leader?'"

Clarifying those comments, he said in the paper that he did not believe a democratic solution from within civil society would emerge in Russia after years of a hardening of Moscow's position and conflict. He added that he saw no alternative to Putin, who had to be brought back to the negotiating table. (Excerpt from Reuters)

New Zealand's cyclone death toll at 11, thousands still missing

The strike - which hit at 00:22 local time (21:22 GMT) - caused damage to several homes in Damascus neighbourhoods and other nearby areas, Syrian officials said.

The country's Defence Ministry said the rockets were launched from the Golan Heights, a rocky plateau south-west of Damascus which was annexed by Israel in 1981.

The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights put the death toll at 15 people, including civilians.

It comes over a month after an Israeli strike hit Damascus's international airport, according to the Syrian army, killing four people including two soldiers.

Israel has previously acknowledged that it targets the bases of militant groups loyal to Iran.

The two countries are arch-foes and in recent years have been engaged in what has been described as a "shadow war" of unclaimed attacks on each other's assets, infrastructure and nationals. (Excerpt from BBC News)