- Israeli strike on Syrian airports
- Iranian influence and retaliation
- Regional tensions escalate
According to Syrian state media, Israeli forces have launched missiles at the country’s two primary international terminals, rendering them inoperative.
Both Aleppo and Damascus airports, as reported by state-run media, have sustained damage to their runways, and flights will be redirected to the city of Latakia in northwestern Syria.
Israel has previously attacked Iranian-affiliated targets in Syria’s civil war, but it has not commented on the strike.
Iran had scheduled the Iranian foreign minister’s visit to Syria for Friday.
In addition to serving as civil aviation hubs, both Aleppo and Damascus airports reportedly function as military bases where Iranian weapons destined for Hezbollah, a militant organization with significant influence in Syria and Lebanon, transit.
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Unidentified military sources told Syrian state media that “simultaneous” Israeli attacks “rendered the runways at both airports inoperative.”
It was described as a “desperate” move by Israel to divert attention from the Gaza conflict.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, part of a regional tour, has already arrived in Iraq and plans to visit Lebanon. His mission aims to garner regional support for Hamas, the ruling party in the Gaza Strip. Iran, which strongly opposes Israel, celebrated Hamas’s unexpected attack on Saturday, resulting in the loss of 1,300 Israeli lives.
Israel’s retaliatory bombing of Gaza has led to the destruction of entire neighborhoods, condemned by Iran. Palestinian authorities report a death toll of over 1,400 from the airstrikes.
Intermittent cross-border clashes between Israel and militants in southern Lebanon and Syria have occurred since the Hamas attack. Israeli military in the north are ready for Hezbollah attacks.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad maintains strategic alliances with Iran, Hezbollah, and Russia in his ongoing struggle against opposition factions and the Islamic State (IS).
The Russian foreign ministry condemned the Israeli missile strike on Syria, expressing concern for the safety of international air traffic and innocent lives. The ministry stated that such actions could lead to a dangerous armed escalation in the region, given the rapid deterioration in Israel’s conflict with the Palestinians.
