DAMASCUS: Syrian air defences shot down Israeli missile over the northern province of Aleppo on Monday, state media reported, in an attack that a war monitor said targeted positions of pro-regime groups.

"At around 23:37 on Monday... the Israeli enemy carried out an aerial attack towards southeast Aleppo, targeting positions in the Al-Safira area," Syrian state news agency SANA cited a military source as saying

"Our air defences intercepted the missiles... shooting down most of them," it added, saying the extent of damage was still being assessed.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the missiles landed near the Scientific Studies Research Centre in Al-Safira, destroying bases and a weapons depot used by pro-Iran groups.

There were no immediate reports of casualties, it said.

Since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011, Israel has routinely carried out raids in Syria, targeting Syrian government troops.

Israel rarely confirms strikes in Syria, but the Jewish state's army has said it hit about 50 targets in the war-torn country last year, without providing details.

Last month, Israeli air strikes in central Syria killed at least 11 government troops and militiamen.