Syria: Israeli "airstrike" damages Aleppo airport and puts it out of service

A convoy transporting a delegation of US representatives arrives through Syria`s Bab al-Salam crossing with Turkey as part of their visit to the rebel-held areas of Aleppo province, on August 27, 2023. Photo/AFP

An Israeli airstrike hit the international airport in the city of Aleppo in northern Syria early on Monday, damaging a runway and putting it out of service, the Associated Press reported quoting Syrian media.

State news agency SANA, citing a military official, said Israeli planes coming from the Mediterranean Sea carried out the attack at around 4:30 a.m. There were no casualties reported.

The airport has been targeted several times this year, including two attacks in March that also put it out of service, the report said.

There was no immediate comment from Israeli officials.

In the attack, runways at the airport were damaged, rendering it out of service, another report said. "The aggression caused material damage to the airport's runway and put it out of service," the source added.

The Syrian regime last claimed the airport was attacked in early May. Syria claimed that several civilians and soldiers were wounded. The Syrian regime also claimed the airport was being used to bring in aid for earthquake victims in northern Syria.

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Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes on targets inside government-controlled parts of Syria in recent years, including attacks on the Damascus and Aleppo airports. Still, it rarely acknowledges or discusses the operations. Often the strikes target Syrian military forces or Iranian-backed groups.

Israel has targeted airports and sea ports in the government-held parts of Syria in an apparent attempt to prevent arms shipments from Iran to militant groups backed by Tehran, including Lebanon's Hezbollah. Thousands of Iran-backed fighters from around the region joined Syria's 12-year conflict helping tip the balance in favor of President Bashar Assad's forces.

Aleppo, which suffered widespread destruction in Syria's civil war, was again heavily damaged in the deadly 7.8-magnitude earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria last month.

Aleppo is located close to the Turkish border and also areas of Idlib and Lattakia that were damaged. The Syrian regime reconquered Aleppo in 2016 from Syrian rebels. Since then pro-Iranian proxies and Hezbollah have been active in the area. (Agencies)