Syria state TV says Israel attacked Aleppo and Damascus airports

Damage being assessed at both sites, which were reportedly targets of 'Israeli aggression'

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

Israel attacked the main airports in Syria's capital Damascus and the northern city of Aleppo on Thursday, Syrian media reported.

Syrian state TV said the airports had been targets of “Israeli aggression”.

The strikes were carried out simultaneously at 1.50pm and caused damage to the runways, putting both airports out of service.

Technical teams were sent assess the damage at both sites, Syria's Transport Ministry said.

Media channel Sham FM said Syrian air defences were launched in response to the attacks.

The Israeli military does not usually comment on such incidents and gave no immediate statement on Thursday.

The attacks came a day before Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian was due to visit Syria.

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

Sources told Reuters Thursday's alleged strikes were intended to disrupt Iranian supply lines to Syria, where Tehran's influence has grown since it began supporting President Bashar Al Assad in the civil war that broke out in 2011.

Syrian political analyst Ayman Abdelnour said Israel was making a point with the latest strikes.

“The message is: we are not that busy with Gaza that we don’t notice what happens elsewhere,” Mr Abdelnour told The National.

Israel is “ready to respond and it is business as usual – we will not allow weapons to come from Iran”.

He noted that Thursday's strikes were different from Israel's usual attacks.

“This is the first time that they struck the two airports simultaneously, and heavier than before,” he said.

“Israel is telling Iran that it will not allow it to take advantage of what is going on in Gaza.”

Charles Lister, senior fellow and director of the Syria and Countering Terrorism and Extremism programmes at the Middle East Institute, said Israel's message was loud and clear.

“Whether Iranian weapons were incoming or this was a pre-emptive strike remains to be seen – but the implications are clear: 'Iran, back off',” he wrote on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.

Last September, Israeli air strikes damaged one of the runways at the airport in Aleppo, forcing a suspension of services. Such attacks are often said to follow Iranian arms transfers to Damascus and Aleppo airport.

Damascus airport also hosted a base used by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which was heavily bombed in Israeli attacks.