DAMASCUS (Reuters) - The Syrian Defense Ministry said early on Saturday that Israel had launched an air strike on Damascus International Airport and some other points south of the Syrian capital, killing five soldiers and causing material damage.

A ministry statement said that the Syrian air defenses repelled the attack and managed to shoot down most of the missiles.

There was no official confirmation on whether the attack affected airport operations.

The Israeli military said it does not comment on foreign reports.

Diplomatic and regional intelligence sources told Reuters that Israel has intensified its attacks on Syrian airports to disrupt Tehran's increasing use of air supply lines to supply its allies in Syria and Lebanon, including Hezbollah, with weapons.

Tehran has relied on air transport as a safer way to transport military equipment to its forces and allied fighters in Syria after ground transportation was disrupted.