Airstrikes Hit Aleppo and Nearby Airports
On the evening of October 14, an air strike attributed to the Israeli Defense Forces hit Aleppo International Airport in Syria, leaving the facility inoperable. The attack followed earlier air activity in the region and disrupted airport operations that had only just begun to restart after a prior outage. Syrian authorities framed the strike as a Western-backed assault that damaged airport infrastructure and briefly halted flights.
The Syrian Ministry of Defense described the incident as proof of an ongoing aggressive campaign by Israeli forces. Damascus officials condemned the attack as part of a pattern of aggression and alleged crimes against Palestinians, while Reuters reported a statement from the Syrian military. Five individuals were reported injured in Syria, though the identities of the injured — civilian or military — were not clarified by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Aleppo airport had already been out of service for several days and resumed limited operations only hours before the latest strike. In the meantime, Damascus airport remained closed following the prior attack, underscoring a broader disruption of air connectivity in the region.
Deliveries from Iran
According to the IDF, the assault on Syria was a response to missiles fired from Syrian territory earlier on October 14. The forces stated that after sirens an initial volley of two rockets was launched toward Israeli land and landed in an open area. Interceptors were not deployed in this instance, even though the standard protocol would usually call for their use.
Reuters, citing sources, indicated that the strikes on airports appear aimed at disrupting Iran’s arms supply routes to Syria. Western reporting had suggested that Iran might move weaponry to Syria by air, with the trafficked arms potentially reaching Hezbollah militants. In this context, Joshua Zarka, head of the Strategic Affairs Department within the Israeli Foreign Ministry, publicly asserted that Iran seeks to open a second front by placing weapons on Syrian soil, a claim echoed in subsequent commentary and official briefings.
The IDF’s messaging emphasized that the strike aimed to deter attempts to move weapons through Syrian airspace and to signal a warning to Tehran-backed entities. Analysts continued to monitor the broader regional implications as tensions persist among Israel, Syria, Iran, and allied groups in the area.
Previous Attacks
Earlier on October 12, Israel conducted strikes against both Damascus and Aleppo airports, with runways coming under fire and flight operations briefly suspended. Those actions followed heightened regional activity, occurring a day before the Iranian foreign minister was scheduled to visit Syria. Diplomatic channels were active as foreign ministers from Islamic nations discussed potential new fronts and emergency talks unfolded among regional policymakers. The diplomat involved was traveling in Baghdad on the day of the strikes.
State media in Syria reported a broad barrage of rockets targeting the two airports simultaneously, a claim Damascus framed as an attempt to divert global attention from the broader conflict between Israel and Hamas. Local outlets offered varying accounts as different parties weighed the potential for escalation. In several reports, officials suggested that comments from top government offices were being managed to avoid disclosing sensitive information about the airstrikes.
Across the region, observers note a long-standing focus of Israeli air operations on sites connected to Iranian influence or activity, including targets in Syria. The IDF has also targeted positions tied to Lebanese Hezbollah and the Syrian army at various times, reflecting a broader effort to curb perceived threats and disrupt logistical networks linked to Iran and its allies. The evolving sequence of events has raised questions about aviation safety, civilian protection, and the strategic calculations of all involved as the conflict continues.
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