Russia: New strikes bomb 12 ISIL targets

Russia's defense ministry says its air force has hit 12 Islamic state targets, in a fresh wave of strikes in Syria.

Syrian state television said Russian jets had hit militant positions in the ancient city of Palmyra and the northern province of Aleppo. The reports say the strikes destroyed ISIL vehicles and weapons depots in Palmyra.

In Aleppo, the air raids reportedly hit two towns near a military airport currently besieged by Islamic State fighters. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a monitoring group, says the Palmyra strikes killed 15 militants.

Another day of Russian air raids in Syria; however, today's targeting sparked new controversy. Syrian State TV said the strikes were on Palmyra in central Syria. But the Russian Ministry of Defense claims its jets didn't target the historic landmark city.

The statement indicated that a dozen ISIL targets were hit in some 20 sorties. Russia said the air raids went after Islamic State positions in Deir al-Zor Province in eastern Syria.

The area has been under siege for months and was reportedly hit with a series of car bombs today by ISIL.