Heavy air strikes target rebel-held areas in western Syria

Beirut: Heavy air strikes targeted areas of Hama province captured by Syrian insurgents from government forces in recent days, as Damascus pressed a counter attack on Thursday in an area of strategic importance to President Bashar al-Assad.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 17 people had been killed in the air strikes overnight. Syrian state TV said the air force had launched "concentrated strikes" against what it described as terrorists in the area, saying tens had been killed.