Syria Says Israel Strikes Damascus, Aleppo Airports

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Facts

  • According to Syria's state news agency SANA, Israeli airstrikes targeted airports in the nation's capital, Damascus, and the northern city of Aleppo on Thursday, damaging the runways and putting them both out of service.1
  • Syrian state media reported that simultaneous 'bursts of missiles' hit the airports at the same time but that no one was injured. While Israel says it doesn't comment on such reports, the IDF has reportedly bombed these airports for years with the goal of disrupting Iranian supply lines to Syria.2
  • Meanwhile, on Tuesday, several mortars were reportedly fired from Syria at the Golan Heights, with the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) reporting that several of the projectiles landed in Israeli territory but hadn't caused damage.3
  • Syria's Damascus and Aleppo airports aren't only international travel hubs for civilians but also hold military bases, which are allegedly used as stopovers for Iranian arms to be used by the armed group Hezbollah. All flights headed to the country have been diverted to Latakia, a city in north-west Syria.4
  • This would mark the first Israeli strikes on Syria since the deadly surprise attack carried out by Hamas in southern Israel on Saturday. In recent years, Israel has launched hundreds of strikes against targets inside government-controlled parts of Syria, including the Damascus and Aleppo airports.5
  • The airstrikes came a day before Iranian foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian was scheduled to visit Syria as part of a tour that will also see him visit Lebanon.4

Sources: 1Associated Press, 2Reuters, 3The Times of Israel, 4BBC News and 5ABC News.

Narratives

  • Pro-Israel, as provided by Washington Post. Israel launching bombs into Syria shouldn't be a surprise, as this is merely a continuation of a war that has been ongoing since 1948. Israel doesn't target civilians but rather military infrastructure — including chemical weapons facilities — to stop Iran from using Syrian land as a proxy to recruit young men into their forces. Israel has a right to defend itself.
  • Anti-Israel narrative, as provided by Arab News. It’s true that no one should be surprised by Israel bombing Syria In the name of ‘stopping Iran,’ as Israel has neutralized these airports many times, including once in May, in which three people were killed. What should be a surprise is that during these heightened times, Israel would risk provoking an escalation in the region.

Predictions