Aleppo Airport Rendered Non-Operational After Israeli Airstrike

A man walks at Aleppo international airport after it was reopened for the first time in years, Syria, February 19, 2020.
A man walks at Aleppo international airport after it was reopened for the first time in years, Syria, February 19, 2020.

The Aleppo International Airport has been left inoperable following what the state news agency SANA has attributed to an Israeli airstrike.

Citing an official from the Syrian military, SANA reported that Israeli aircraft, originating from the Mediterranean Sea, carried out the attack at approximately 4:30 am, Monday.

Whilst No casualties have been reported, the incident marks one of several attacks on the airport this year, including two strikes in March that also resulted in its temporary closure.

Israeli officials have yet to issue an immediate comment or acknowledgment about today’s event but the country has carried out a series of strikes on targets within government-controlled areas of Syria in recent years. While these operations predominantly focus on military installations or Iranian-backed factions, Israel rarely confirms or discusses its actions. It is believed that these targeted operations aim to intercept arms shipments from Iran destined for militant groups supported by Tehran, including Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Over the course of Syria's 12-year-long conflict, thousands of Iran-backed fighters from across the region have joined the conflict, contributing to the advantage of President Bashar Assad's forces.

Aleppo, which suffered substantial damage during the Syrian civil war, experienced further destruction following a powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria in February and also greatly damaged the city's infrastructure.

Reports have also emerged from The Washington Post, citing classified US intelligence, that Iran had covertly dispatched weapon shipments to Syria under the guise of humanitarian aid. These alleged actions were said to have occurred in the wake of the earthquake and were intended for use against US forces.