Israel bombs sites in Syria after missile lands deep inside Israeli territory near nuclear reactor

Jerusalem - A Syrian anti-aircraft missile landed in southern Israel early Thursday, setting off air raid sirens near the country's top-secret nuclear reactor, the Israeli military said. In response, it said it attacked the missile launcher and air-defense systems in neighboring Syria.   Israeli media later described the Syrian missile as an "errant" projectile, not a deliberate attack deep inside Israel. The army said an initial investigation showed that Israel's own missile defense systems had failed to intercept the surface-to-air missile from Syria.

Israeli officials would not confirm the condition of the missile when it landed or the exact location, but it was believed to have exploded before it hit the ground. Israeli news outlets said the missile fell only about 19 miles from Israel's Dimona nuclear reactor, and that the military was investigating the failure of its defense systems to intercept the projectile. Israel has repeatedly launched airstrikes at Syria in recent years, including at military targets linked to foes Iran and the Lebanese Hezbollah militia, both allies of Syrian President Bashar Assad. Such strikes routinely draw Syrian anti-aircraft fire. Thursday's exchange was unusual because the Syrian projectile landed deep inside Israel.