Illustrative image. Source: the Israeli Air Force.
On March 8, Israel’s ImageSat International released satellite images showing the aftermath of the recent Israeli strikes on Aleppo International Airport in northern Syria.
The strikes, which took place early on March 7, placed the airport out of service. Israeli fighter jets launched the attack from the Eastern Mediterranean. The new satellite images show four impact craters on the airport’s main runway. Despite the heavy damage, the strikes didn’t result in any casualties.
Israel targeted Aleppo International Airport more than once during 2022. The last attack on the airport took place on September 3.
Click to see full-size image. Source: ImageSat International.
Click to see full-size image. Source: ImageSat International.
The Israeli strikes came about a month after a devastating earthquake hit Syria and Turkey. Aleppo was badly affected by the disaster. Hundreds of the city’s residents were killed and thousands others were displaced. Aleppo International Airport was used to deliver humanitarian aid to the city.
Syria’s Ministry of Transport redirected all humanitarian and commercial flights scheduled for Aleppo to other airports in Damascus and Latakia after the strikes. Work is reportedly underway to fix the airport.
The Israeli Alma education and research center speculated in a report that the strikes were related to recent movements by Iranian-backed forces in Aleppo International Airport. According to the center, a number of drones were recently deployed from the military to the civilian wing of the airport.
Last month, a series of Israeli strikes hit Damascus and its outskirts. The main target was a cultural center in the highly-secured Kafar Sousah neighborhood where Syrian and Iranian officials were reportedly meeting to advance programmes to develop drones or missiles. Five people were killed and at least 15 others were wounded as a result of the attack.
Israel has been carrying out air strikes against suspected Iranian targets in Syria for around a decade as a part of a covert military campaign. Tel Aviv hopes that the campaign, known as “the war between the wars” will eventually push Tehran and its allies out of the war-torn country.
