Syria’s two major airports have been rendered inoperative following simultaneous airstrikes by Israel. This marks the first such attack since a recent offensive by Hamas against Israel led to intense fighting.
The airstrikes have previously caused flight cancellations at the Damascus and Aleppo airports, both of which are under the control of the Syrian government. The strikes damaged the runways at these airports, rendering them unusable.
These latest strikes occurred amid ongoing hostilities between Hamas and Israel, with both sides exchanging heavy fire for six consecutive days. The conflict intensified when hundreds of Hamas fighters infiltrated Israel from Gaza, resulting in casualties, predominantly among civilians.
These airstrikes also coincide with a visit to Israel by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and a phone call between Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, during which they called for Arab and Islamic nations to cooperate in confronting Israel.
The Syrian state media source described the Israeli strikes as a “desperate attempt” to divert attention from the ongoing conflict with Hamas in Gaza.
Over the course of more than a decade of warfare in Syria, Israel has conducted numerous airstrikes in the region, primarily targeting Iranian-backed forces, Hezbollah fighters, and Syrian military positions.
Israel has consistently expressed its opposition to Iran’s expansion in the area, as Iran supports the Syrian government led by President Assad. It is worth noting that Iran, which supports Hamas, celebrated Hamas’ assault on Israel, although it maintained that it was not directly involved in the offensive.
