Syrian state news agency SANA on Wednesday reported that Syrian air defences intercepted “a number” of Israeli missiles on Wednesday. Yet, many of them slipped through and some hit and damaged the international airport in Aleppo.
The outlet said it was citing claims from military sources. “At around eight o’clock this evening, the Israeli enemy targeted Aleppo International Airport with a missile strike, which caused material damage,” it quoted one as saying.
Damascus also witnessed explosions as eyewitnesses claimed damage to residential areas. However, there is no official confirmation on this yet. One report described that at least three missiles struck the Aleppo airport runway. This ensured that it was taken out of service until further notice.
After a similar strike in June destroyed the runways at Damascus International Airport, much of Syria’s air traffic was rerouted through Aleppo. Satellite photos attributed to Israel showed that significant damage has occurred at the airport. Russian officials were apprised by the Syrians who claimed that repairing the damaged runways may take “significant time”.
Israel usually fires missiles at Syria from Lebanese airspace or the occupied Golan Heights as it is wary of the Russian made air defence systems belonging to Damascus. Very rarely has Israel acknowledged the attacks and when it has, Israel claimed it was exercising pre-emptive self-defence against the Iranian presence in the neighbouring country.
Iran has been a staunch support and friend to Damascus including offering military aid in recent years against both Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) terrorists and other radical militants. Israel claims Iran is using civilian flights to Syria to smuggle weapons and missile parts to Hezbollah, a Shia militia in Lebanon.
Syria, Russia and Turkey have consistently protested Israeli strikes and have requested Israel to stop violating Syrian sovereignty. A call which has not been heeded to.
