Syria state TV says wildfires spark explosion in army ammo depot west of Damascus

(Reuters) - An explosion on Saturday in a Syrian ammunition depot in a military zone west of the capital was caused by wildfires, state television reported.

It said the depot was in the Dummar residential area.

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But residents said the explosion, which could be heard across the capital, appeared to have come from a mountainous area between Dummar and Qudsaya, where large army units are stationed.

Israel, which sees Iran as a threat to its existence, has attacked Iranian targets in Syria before including those of allied militia such as Lebanon's Hezbollah.

Its strikes on the capital had long focused on southern and northern areas where Western intelligence sources have said there were military compounds for Hezbollah and other Iranian backed militias.

Syrian President Bashar al Assad has said Iranian forces are welcome in the country, after years of military victories that have brought large parts of it back under his control.

(Reporting by Suleiman Al-Khalidi; Additional reporting to Ali Abdelaty; Editing by Hugh Lawson)

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