DAMASCUS - Israeli warplanes carried out a series of airstrikes late Monday, targeting several locations across Syria, state news agency SANA reported.

The targeted areas included the outskirts of Homs in central Syria, the coastal city of Latakia and the desert city of Palmyra, said the report.

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Loud explosions were heard in the cities, though no immediate details are available regarding casualties or the extent of the damage.

The Syrian foreign affairs authorities strongly condemned what they called "a blatant violation of international law and the UN Charter," saying the strikes constituted "a direct threat to Syria's sovereignty and regional stability" and urging the UN Security Council to take action to halt repeated Israeli attacks.

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The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that Israeli fighter jets struck an air force battalion southeast of Homs, with initial reports suggesting casualties. It added that two more strikes hit a military barracks in Latakia, where ambulances were seen rushing to the site.

The Observatory also reported that Israeli warplanes entered southern Syrian airspace during the raids.