24 killed as pro-Ankara factions clash with Kurdish-led SDF

At least 24 fighters, mostly from Turkish-backed groups, were killed in clashes with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the northern Manbij district, a war monitor said on Thursday.

The violence killed 23 Turkish-backed fighters and one member of the SDF-affiliated Manbij Military Council, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The Britain-based war monitor said the latest bout of fighting was sparked by attacks by the Ankara-backed fighters on two towns south of Manbij.

Swathes of northern Syria are controlled by a Kurdish-led administration whose de facto army, the US-backed SDF, spearheaded the fight that helped oust the Islamic State group from its last territory in Syria in 2019.

Turkey accuses the main component of the SDF, the People's Protection Units (YPG), of being affiliated with the militant Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which both Washington and Ankara blacklist as a terrorist group.

Fighting has raged around the Arab-majority city of Manbij, controlled by the Manbij Military Council, a group of local fighters operating under the SDF.

According to the Observatory, "clashes continued south and east of Manbij, while Turkish forces bombarded the area with drones and heavy artillery".

The SDF said it repelled attacks by Turkey-backed groups south and east of Manbij.

"This morning, with the support of five Turkish drones, tanks and modern armoured vehicles, the mercenary groups launched violent attacks" on several villages in the Manbij area, the SDF said in a statement.

"Our fighters succeeded in repelling all the attacks, killing dozens of mercenaries and destroying six armoured vehicles, including a tank."

Turkey has mounted multiple operations against the SDF since 2016, and Ankara-backed groups have captured several Kurdish-held towns in northern Syria in recent weeks.

The fighting has continued since rebels led by Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) toppled longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad on December 8.

Israel strikes Syrian army positions near Aleppo

Israel bombed Syrian army positions south of Aleppo on Thursday, the latest such strikes since the overthrow of longtime strongman Bashar al-Assad, a war monitor and local residents said.

Residents reported hearing huge explosions in the area, while the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the strikes targeted defence and research facilities.

The observatory said that "at least seven massive explosions were heard, resulting from an Israeli airstrike on defence factories... south of Aleppo."

There was no immediate information on whether the strikes caused any casualties.

A resident of the al-Safira area told AFP on condition of anonymity: "They hit defence factories, five strikes... The strikes were very strong. It made the ground shake, doors and windows opened -- the strongest strikes I ever heard... It turned the night into day."

Since Islamist-led rebels overthrew Assad in early December, Israel has conducted hundreds of strikes on Syrian military assets, saying they are aimed at preventing military weapons from falling into hostile hands.

Israel intercepts missile launched from Yemen

Israel's military said it intercepted a missile launched from Yemen after it crossed into Israeli territory early Friday.

"A missile that was launched from Yemen and crossed into Israeli territory was intercepted," the military said in a statement posted to its Telegram channel.

"A report was received regarding shrapnel from the interception that fell in the area of Modi'in in central Israel. The details are under review."

Israel's emergency service provider, Magen David Adom, reported that it had treated several people who were injured or experienced panic attacks on their way to shelters after air raid sirens sounded in the centre and south of the country.

On Tuesday, Israel also said it intercepted a missile launched from Yemen.

The Iran-backed Huthis control much of war-torn Yemen and have been firing missiles and drones at Israel, and at ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, in what they say is solidarity with Palestinians during the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip.

The Huthis have stepped up their attacks since November's ceasefire between Israel and another Iran-backed group Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Israel has also struck Yemen, including targeting Sanaa's international airport at the end of December.