Israel pounds Syrian military bases, denies deeper incursion

DAMASCUS: Israel pounded Syrian army bases on Tuesday in strikes it says aim to keep weapons from falling into hostile hands, but denied its forces had advanced into Syria beyond a buffer zone at the border.

- Agencies

In the Syrian capital, banks reopened for the first time since the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad, in a major step towards restoring normal life. Shops were reopening, traffic returned to the roads, construction workers were back fixing a roundabout in the city centre and street cleaners were out sweeping the streets.

Since Assad's flight on Sunday ended more than five decades of his family's rule, Israeli troops moved into a demilitarized zone inside Syria established following a 1973 war. Israel calls the incursion a temporary measure to ensure border security.