Updated

Syria's state TV says that Israeli warplanes launched an attack in central Syria overnight and that Syrian air defenses hit back.

The TV report says that the attack late on Wednesday targeted the Hissya area in the countryside around the central city of Homs

Thursday's report gave no further details.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors the conflict, says loud explosions were heard south of Homs, from the location of a Syrian or a Hezbollah military base that is believed to manufacture rockets.

The Observatory attributed the explosions to an Israeli airstrike.

Homs is Syria's third-largest city. Hezbollah sees the area south of Homs as within its sphere of interest because it is close to the Lebanese border.

There was no immediate comment from Israel.