Israel Targets Aleppo, Damascus Airports 10 Times in Over a Year to ‘Fight Iran’

Syrian Prime Minister Hussein Arnous inspects the damage to the runway at Damascus International Airport last Friday after an Israeli bombing. (SANA)
Syrian Prime Minister Hussein Arnous inspects the damage to the runway at Damascus International Airport last Friday after an Israeli bombing. (SANA)
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Israel Targets Aleppo, Damascus Airports 10 Times in Over a Year to ‘Fight Iran’

Syrian Prime Minister Hussein Arnous inspects the damage to the runway at Damascus International Airport last Friday after an Israeli bombing. (SANA)
Syrian Prime Minister Hussein Arnous inspects the damage to the runway at Damascus International Airport last Friday after an Israeli bombing. (SANA)

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) has documented ten Israeli attacks in over a year on Aleppo and Damascus international airports in a bid to fight Iran in Syria.

These attacks led to putting Aleppo International Airport out of service on six occasions and Damascus International Airport on one occasion.

In addition, the Israeli attacks on the two airports since August 2022 left 25 combatants dead, including officers, and Iranian-backed non-Syrian and Syrian militiamen.

Israel attacked Saturday the airport of Aleppo for the second time in 48 hours, putting it out of service.

On Sunday, a senior Israeli official accused Iran of trying to open a second war front by deploying weapons in or through Syria as Israel steps up a counter-offensive in Gaza to the south.

Syria accused Israel of carrying out strikes against Damascus and Aleppo airports last week.

In a related context, a military source who spoke on condition of anonymity told the Syrian opposition Orient TV that the Iranian militias have recently started a new program to develop and assemble drones at the T4 military airport in eastern Homs in coordination with the airport command and the Syrian Air Force.

The source added this is supervised by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps.

The “Quds Force” militias worked to assemble and develop four types of drones and trained their members and “Hezbollah” militiamen on them within the airport.

Meanwhile, Al-Alam TV reported on Sunday that Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi had a phone conversation with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron on Sunday and informed him that if Israel didn’t stop its attacks on Gaza, then “the theater will expand”.

Earlier, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said “If the attacks of the Zionist regime against civilians and the defenseless people of Gaza persist, no one can guarantee that the situation will be under control and the scope of the fighting won’t expand.”



US Accuses Houthis of Undermining Yemen Peacemaking Efforts

US State Department regional spokesperson Samuel Werberg speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat (PHOTO CREDIT: Saad Al-Anzi)
US State Department regional spokesperson Samuel Werberg speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat (PHOTO CREDIT: Saad Al-Anzi)
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US Accuses Houthis of Undermining Yemen Peacemaking Efforts

US State Department regional spokesperson Samuel Werberg speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat (PHOTO CREDIT: Saad Al-Anzi)
US State Department regional spokesperson Samuel Werberg speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat (PHOTO CREDIT: Saad Al-Anzi)

US State Department regional spokesperson Samuel Werberg affirmed that there is no direct communication between the US and the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen, adding that Washington can convey messages to the group through media or intermediaries like the Omanis.
The US official criticized the Houthis for undermining efforts by the US and Saudi Arabia to end Yemen’s civil war. He revealed that all the progress made is now at risk because of the Houthis.
Werberg urged the Houthis to stop attacking, focus on Yemen’s internal issues, and work towards a permanent ceasefire.
The spokesperson called the ongoing Houthi attacks in the Red Sea “unjustifiable” and expressed concern over a recent attack on the vessel Sounion, which could lead to a major oil spill.
Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Werberg noted that a spill of one million barrels would be four times larger than the Exxon Valdez disaster and would harm Yemenis and Egyptians.
He also discussed the US-led “Operation Prosperity Guardian”, saying its main goal is to stop Houthi attacks.
He stated that the operation, including the US, UK, and other nations, aims to prevent the Houthis from launching larger attacks and causing more damage, asserted Werberg.
On the US military response, Werberg emphasized that the US aims to avoid broader conflict.
He clarified that Washington wants to prevent escalation and focus on de-escalation.
Werberg said it’s hard to predict tensions and actions from Iran and its proxies but assured that the US is prepared for all scenarios with its regional partners and allies.
He noted that Iran and the Revolutionary Guard are preparing for potentially larger attacks against Israel or US interests, so the US is also preparing accordingly.
Werberg warned that Iran and its proxies are exploiting political instability in Lebanon, Palestine, Yemen, and Syria. He emphasized the need to not only end conflicts but also address the political voids in these regions.