Israel stepped up airstrikes on Syria overnight, declaring the attacks a warning to the new Islamist rulers in Damascus as it accused their ally Turkey on Thursday of trying to turn the country into a Turkish protectorate.

Israel defended the moves as necessary security measures, but Syria accused it of trying to destabilize the country.

Syria's foreign ministry described Israel's attacks on five locations across the country as an 'unjustified escalation' Syria on Thursday condemned deadly Israeli strikes across the country as a "flagrant violation" of its sovereignty,