Israeli strike kills Syrian soldier and puts Aleppo airport out of service

Attack left seven wounded and caused 'material losses', state media said

Aleppo International Airport was the target of an Israeli strike, Syrian state media said. AFP

Israeli missiles hit the northern Syrian city of Aleppo on Monday night, killing a soldier and wounding seven, including two civilians, state media has reported.

The strike put the city's airport out of service and resulted in material losses, state news agency Sana reported, citing a military source.

“At around 11.35pm (8.35pm GMT) … the Israeli enemy carried out an air attack with several missiles … targeting Aleppo international airport and a number of sites in the vicinity of Aleppo,” Sana said.

“A soldier was killed and seven people were wounded, including two civilians.”

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported a number of explosions “in the area of Aleppo International Airport and the Nayrab military airfield in Aleppo province”.

The explosions caused a fire at a munitions depot and led to heavy damage at both airports, the UK-based observatory said.

It also said Israeli missiles fell on defence factories in the Safireh area of Aleppo province, causing material damage.

During more than a decade of war in Syria, Israel has launched hundreds of air strikes on its territory, with its primary targets being Iran-backed forces and Lebanese Hezbollah fighters, as well as Syrian army positions.

While Israel rarely comments on the strikes it carries out on Syria, it has previously said it would stand against Iran's expanding footprint in the region.

Iran-backed militias have had a heavy presence in the Aleppo region after providing key ground support to the army in its recapture of rebel-held districts in the city in 2016.

On March 22, an Israeli missile strike reportedly aimed at an Iran-linked weapons depot also put Aleppo's airport out of service, the observatory said.

Earlier that same month, Syria said an Israeli attack killed three people.