In a renewed escalation of hostilities, Israeli warplanes launched air strikes on Damascus international airport, just hours after flights had resumed following a similar attack last month. The strikes, reported by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, targeted the runways, rendering the airport inoperable once again.

The Britain-based monitor also reported an explosion from the direction of a military airport in the Mazzeh area on the outskirts of Damascus. A subsequent statement by a military source confirmed that the strike had targeted "an air defence forces base in the Mazzeh area," resulting in an officer and two personnel being wounded.

The attack, which took place at around 4:50 pm local time, was described as an air assault with missiles originating from the occupied Syrian Golan Heights. While air defenses managed to intercept and destroy most of the missiles, the statement acknowledged some material losses and the suspension of operations at Damascus international airport.

This incident follows Israeli strikes on Damascus and Aleppo airports on October 12 and October 22, respectively, which also led to the suspension of operations at those facilities. Flights from Damascus had reportedly resumed on Sunday, with two ticketing offices confirming the resumption, though an official announcement from authorities was still pending at the time of reporting.

Israel has conducted numerous air strikes in Syria since the onset of the civil war in 2011, predominantly targeting Iran-backed forces, Lebanese Hezbollah fighters, and Syrian army positions. The recent increase in attacks is noted to coincide with heightened tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, particularly following the commencement of the conflict between Israel and Hamas on October 7.

While Israel seldom comments on specific strikes in Syria, it has consistently emphasized its commitment to preventing the expansion of Iranian influence in the region, supporting the government of President Bashar al-Assad.

AFP