AMMAN/BEIRUT: A massive explosion struck near Damascus International Airport early on Thursday setting off large fires, a monitoring group said, without specifying the cause.

But, quoting Syrian rebel and intelligence sources, news agency Reuters reported that Israel had struck an arms supply hub operated by the Lebanese Hezbollah group near Damascus airport.

The blast was outside the airport itself. 

Israeli Intelligence Minister Israel Katz, speaking from the United States, where he has been meeting US officials, to Israeli Army Radio: "I can confirm that the incident in Syria corresponds completely with Israel's policy to act to prevent Iran's smuggling of advanced weapons via Syria to Hezbollah in Iran. Naturally, I don't want to elaborate on this."

"The prime minister has said that whenever we receive intelligence that indicated an intention to transfer advanced weapons to Hezbollah, we will act."

Read more: Three dead in Israeli attack on Syria military camp

Israeli warplanes have hit the airport and other bases around the capital in the past, targeting what it said were weapons stockpiles of its Lebanese foe Hezbollah, which is allied with the Syrian government.

Lebanon's al-Manar television, which is affiliated with Hezbollah, said early indications were that the strikes hit warehouses and fuel tanks and had caused only material damage and no human casualties.

"Al-Manar's correspondent reported that an explosion struck at dawn on Thursday in fuel tanks and a warehouse near Damascus International Airport and that it was probably the result of an Israeli strike," the channel said.

The airport lies about 25 kilometres (15 miles) southeast of the capital.

It was hit by Israeli air strikes in December 2014, Syrian state media reported at the time.

Israel does not usually confirm or deny each individual raid it carries out.

But last month, it said it had carried out several strikes near the Syrian desert city of Palmyra, targeting what it said were "advanced weapons" belonging to Hezbollah.

The strikes prompted Syria to launch retaliatory ground to air missiles, one of which was intercepted over Israeli territory in the most serious flare-up between the two neighbours since the Syrian civil war began six years ago.