Syria Says Fresh Israeli Air Strikes Hit Iranian Targets In North

Israel targeted Syria's Aleppo with an air strike on Saturday, which caused some material damage there, the Syrian defense ministry said in a statement.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that Al-Nairab Military Airport near Aleppo and targets in its vicinity were also attacked.

SOHR stated that there are warehouses and centers belonging to Iranian militias in the areas hit by missiles launched from warplanes.

The airports themselves did not sustain damage, SOHR said.

Six explosions were heard in the Nairab airport area, while one missile landed in the area of Aleppo International Airport.

Reuters reported that the Israeli military declined to comment. While Israel has launched hundreds of air strikes against Iran-affiliated forces in Syria in the past decade, it usually refuses to confirm or deny its involvement.

Most of these attacks have targeted weapons depots belonging to the Iranian military network in Syria, and arms transfers destined for Iran-backed forces, particularly the Lebanese Hezbollah. Israel has vowed not to allow more entrenchment by Iranian forces in Syria.

The latest strikes seem to be related to heightened tensions in the region amid the Israeli military operation against Hamas.

On December 25, a suspected Israeli air strike killed the top Iranian IRGC general, Razi Mousavi, at his residence near Damascus. Iran has vowed revenge for the targeted killing, similar to a US air strike that killed Iran’s Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani in January 2020 in Baghdad.