The Israeli military deployed two batteries of the Iron Dome anti-rocket defense system to northern Israel following an escalation in tensions with Syria, local media reported Sunday.

One battery was positioned Saturday night near Haifa, and another on the outskirts of Safed, Israel's Channel 2 Television said on its website.

"Two Iron Dome batteries were positioned in the north as part of routine operational deployment and in line with operational assessments," a military spokeswoman told Xinhua.

She declined to comment on whether the deployment was linked to reports of two alleged Israeli air strikes on Syria in recent days that reportedly targeted Iranian shipments of advanced Fateh-110 missiles for Hezbollah.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday remained silent on his country's alleged involvement in the strikes, but he postponed by several hours a trip to China, in order to convene his security cabinet for consultations on recent developments, Israel Radio reported. Endi

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