But Syrian sources told an Arabic daily that the reports were a "baseless" attempt by Israel to stoke tension in the region.

"We sent our warplanes over different parts of Syria and Lebanon as a warning sign," a senior Israeli defence official told the Yediot Aharonot daily.

The F-16 planes flew at a low altitude, evading Syrian air defence systems, and arrived back at base without incident, Maariv reported.

But the London-based daily Asharq al-Awsat quoted "informed Syrian sources" as describing the reports as "completely baseless".

"The publication of these allegations at this juncture is an attempt to increase tension in the region and divert attention from the practices of the occupation forces against the Palestinians in the occupied territories," the sources told the Saudi-owned newspaper.

A 16-year-old Israeli was killed and five others wounded last Sunday in the northern village of Shlomi, which lies close to both Lebanon and Syria, after attacks by the Lebanese-based Hezbollah militia.

It was the second attack in three days by Hezbollah, and fuelled fears of the reopening of a new front after a seven-month lull.

But Israel has said it wants a "diplomatic" solution and no further attacks have been reported in the area in the past week.

Syria is the key powerbroker in Lebanon, where Hezbollah spearheaded a guerrilla war that led to Israel forces withdrawing from the south of the country in 2000 after two decades of occupation.

WAR.WIRE