Hezbollah condemns Israeli strikes on Syria, says stands by its people

A monitor of Syria's war said Tuesday it had recorded more than 300 Israeli strikes since rebels toppled the country's longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad over the weekend.

"The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has been able to document around 310 strikes" carried out by "Israeli warplanes" since the announcement of the fall of Assad on Sunday morning, the monitor said, while AFP journalists in the capital reported hearing loud explosions early Tuesday.

Hezbollah condemned increased Israeli strikes on Syria and said it stood by the country's people, in its first comment since rebels overthrew the group's ally former President al-Assad.

Hezbollah lambasted Israel for "occupying more land in the Golan Heights" where it moved troops into a buffer zone after Assad fell, and for "striking and destroying the defensive capabilities of the Syrian state". "While we affirm our support for Syria and its people, we stress the necessity to preserve Syria's unity," it added.