DAMASCUS: Several Israeli strikes hit Aleppo airport in northern Syria on Wednesday, the official SANA news agency said, also reporting material damage.

“At around 2000 hours (1700 GMT), the Israeli enemy targeted Aleppo international airport with missile fire, causing some material damage at the heart of the facility,” the agency said.

It made no mention of casualties. SANA had earlier reported “the sound of explosions” in the area.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which relies on a wide network of sources on the ground for its information, confirmed there had been an attack. It said four Israeli missiles had targeted the runway and depots at the airport believed to contain missiles supplied by Iran.

Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says four Israeli missiles targeted runway, depots at the airport

The observatory did not report any casualties, but said the strikes had triggered explosions and fires. SANA also said that anti-aircraft defences had intercepted “enemy” missiles above the capital Damascus. State television said the missiles were Israeli.

Last Thursday, SANA reported two civilians wounded in a series of Israeli air strikes on the western Hama and Tartus regions.

The observatory said they were among the heaviest Israeli raids so far against Iranian-aligned militias in Syria.

Since civil war erupted in Syria in 2011, Israel has carried out hundreds of air strikes against its northern neighbour, targeting government troops as well as allied Iran-backed forces and Hezbollah fighters.

While Israel rarely comments on individual strikes, it has acknowledged carrying out hundreds of them.

The Israeli military has defended such action as necessary to prevent arch-enemy Iran from gaining a foothold on its doorstep.

Published in Dawn, September 1st, 2022