Israel to reopen airspace after Syria strike

Israel's military said Monday it is poised to lift a closure on the country's northern airspace imposed a day earlier as part of an alert that followed air strikes on Syria. "Civilian aviation in northern Israel will resume regular operation following security assessments," a statement said. An army spokeswoman told AFP that the closure, originally scheduled to last until May 9, was expected to end later on Monday. A senior Israeli source confirmed to AFP that the Jewish state had carried out a pre-dawn attack on a site outside Damascus on Sunday, in the second such attack in 48 hours, both of which had targeted weapons destined for Lebanon's Hezbollah. Syrian officials warned in response that "missiles are ready" to retaliate. Following Sunday's strike, the Israeli air force went on high alert, although the Jewish state appeared not to be anticipating a significant response from Damascus. Two batteries of the Iron Dome missile defence system were moved to the north of the country and Israeli media reported security in embassies around the world had been heightened due to the tensions. In a separate development, top-selling Israeli daily Yediot Aharonot on Monday said Israel had sent a secret message "through diplomatic channels" to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad saying the Jewish state "does not intend to become involved in the civil war in Syria".