UK/US Focus: Syrian Earthquake Aid Halt Tied to Aleppo Airport Damage

A briefing from Oleg Gurinov, who serves as the deputy head of Russia’s Center for Reconciliation of the Warring Parties in Syria, indicated that humanitarian aid shipments to earthquake victims in Syria were temporarily halted due to damage at Aleppo’s airport. The damage occurred after airstrikes by the Israeli Air Force, and the information was provided to reporters by a news agency delegation. Gurinov explained that four F-16 fighter aircraft conducted the strike, causing damage to the infrastructure at Al-Nairab International Airport in Aleppo and raising questions about the ability to move relief supplies through the facility in the immediate aftermath. The Syrian Ministry of Defense had previously reported that Israeli forces targeted areas around the airport in Aleppo, detailing that the assault resulted in material losses at the northern city’s air hub. In remarks from the same briefing, a high-ranking Russian official noted that two Israeli F-16s reportedly carried out their missiles strikes from positions in northern Lebanon into Syrian territory, contributing to the disruption of humanitarian operations. The statements reflect ongoing concern about the impact of air campaigns on civilian aid corridors amid a broader regional conflict and the difficult logistics of delivering relief to affected populations. Attribution: CPVS and associated briefings indicate that the reports originated from the Russian side, corroborating claims of damage and the ensuing pause in aid distribution, while also underscoring the contested nature of battlefield events in Syria and the strategic significance of Aleppo’s airport as a gateway for international assistance.