Israel Attacks Damascus and Aleppo Airports, 2 Dead

Aleppo international airport. Reuters
Aleppo international airport. Reuters
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Israel Attacks Damascus and Aleppo Airports, 2 Dead

Aleppo international airport. Reuters
Aleppo international airport. Reuters

An Israeli missile attack targeted Damascus and Aleppo international airports early on Sunday, killing two people and putting the airports out of service, Syrian state media reported.

At least two workers were killed "as a result of Israeli bombardment targeting Syria's Damascus airport at dawn," Syria's general directorate of meteorology said in a statement.

The two workers who were killed were from the meteorology service and based at the airport, the agency said. 

Scheduled flights to and from Damascus and Aleppo airports were diverted to Latakia International Airport, according to the Ministry of Transportation.

Israel’s military has carried out several attacks in Syria over the past week targeting the two airports and putting them out of service.

Israel has for years carried out strikes against what it has described as Iran-linked targets in Syria, including against the Aleppo and Damascus airports.



Trump Cites Progress on Gaza Hostage Talks

Trump Cites Progress on Gaza Hostage Talks
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Trump Cites Progress on Gaza Hostage Talks

Trump Cites Progress on Gaza Hostage Talks

US President Donald Trump on Thursday said progress was being made regarding the return of the hostages being held in Gaza and that he was dealing with both Israel and Hamas, but he gave no other details about the talks.

Israel resumed its war against Hamas in Gaza last month after an eight-week ceasefire collapsed. The ceasefire brought a much-needed reprieve from the fighting to war-weary Palestinians in Gaza and sent an infusion of humanitarian aid to the territory. It also led to the release of 25 living Israeli hostages held in Gaza and the return of the remains of eight others, in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
Mediators have since attempted to bring the sides to a bridging agreement that would again pause the war, free hostages and open the door for talks on the war's end, something Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he won't agree to until Hamas is defeated. Hamas wants the war to end before it frees the remaining 59 hostages it holds, 24 of whom are believed to be alive.
The war, which was sparked by Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attacks on southern Israel, has seen the deadliest fighting between Israelis and Palestinians in their history. It has ignited a humanitarian crisis in already impoverished Gaza, and has sent shockwaves across the region and beyond.