Syria and it most powerful ally,
Russia, blamed
Israel for striking an airbase in the war-torn country on Monday, following a suspected chemical
gas attack that drew condemnation from world powers.
Russia's Defense Ministry claimed two Israeli F-15 warplanes launched airstrikes on the T-4 base in central Syria from Lebanese territory, the state-run RIA Novosti news agency reported.
Syrian state media said that a number of people were killed or injured in the strikes and cited a military source blaming Israel for the military action.
Israeli officials have not issued any response to reports of the strike, but its warplanes did hit the same facility in February, after Israel said an Iranian drone had infiltrated its airspace. Israeli officials said Iran, a key backer of the Syrian government, was using the T-4 facility as a command center.
Israel's official stance on the Syrian conflict is neutral, but it has acknowledged carrying out some strikes on Syrian military targets, while denying responsibility for numerous others.
Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman said in a March interview with the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper that Israel had been acting militarily in Syria in recent months.
"A large part of Israeli army activity does not find its way on to (Israeli newspapers and websites) ... and that is good," he said. "It's just not right to say that we don't act."
Israel and Russia have coordinated their military actions over Syria for deconfliction since Russian forces entered the country in late 2015. The T-4 base, located in a strategic position between the cities of
Homs and Palmyra in Syria's west, has been a key staging ground for Syrian and Russian aircraft during the war.
Syria claimed that its air defenses had shot down eight missiles fired at the airbase Monday, in strikes that killed and injured a number of people, while RIA Novosti reported three missiles flew to their target and a remaining five were shot down.
The country had earlier speculated that the US was behind Monday's strikes, which the Pentagon swiftly denied.
Trump: 'Big price to pay' in SyriaSyrian activist groups said toxic gas inside barrel bombs were dropped from helicopters over the rebel-held city of
Douma on Saturday, killing dozens of civilians and wounded scores more.
Graphic footage shot by rescuers and activists show victims -- including children -- dead and injured, some ghostly white and foaming at the mouth in makeshift clinics. Others were found suffocated in their homes, according to first responders.
CNN could not independently verify the authenticity of the images.
The Organization for the Prevention of Chemical Weapons said Monday that a fact-finding mission was working to establish whether chemical weapons were used.
US President Donald Trump on Sunday warned Russia, Iran and Syria of a "big price to pay" following the attack, and slammed Syrian President
Bashar al-Assad as an "animal" on Twitter.
The Syrian government and Russia vehemently denied involvement and accused rebels in Douma of fabricating the
chemical attack claims in order to hinder the army's advances and provoke international military intervention.
The attack came as Syrian forces were on the verge of reclaming Douma, the last town held by rebels in Eastern Ghouta, which was besieged for six years and has been heavily bombarded since mid-February.
On Sunday, Syrian state TV reported that the government had reached an agreement with Jaish al-Islam, the only remaining rebel group in the town, to leave in the next 48 hours.
As part of the agreement, the group's fighters would be transported to Jarablus in northern Syria. In exchange, the rebels would release all captives they are holding in Douma.