Update (0953 EST):
The Syrian Transport Ministry has announced that all flights from Damascus and Aleppo will be diverted to Bassel Al-Assad Airport in Jableh due to the damage.
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— ??????? ??????? ??????? ??????? – ???? (@SanaAjel) October 12, 2023
Update (0946 EST):
According to pro-Iranian sources, the Israeli strike on the airports was an attempt to deny runway use to Iranian officials due to land in Syria today. Local Iraqi media reported that a plane carrying Iranian Foreign Minister Amirabdollahian landed in Baghdad, Iraq at around 0800 EST. Pro-Iranian sources are claiming that his plane was redirected to Baghdad after not being able to land on either runway and has since returned to Tehran.
Mahan Air 146 (usual a Tehran – Aleppo flight), returns to Tehran following reported attack on Aleppo and Damascus
EP-MMC pic.twitter.com/sZIKeRwbgm— avi scharf (@avischarf) October 12, 2023
At approximately 0700 EST, initial reports indicated that air defenses activated over Aleppo and Damascus.
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— ????????? ????????? (@a7dath_shaam) October 12, 2023
By 0730 EST, local media confirmed that both Damascus international airport and Al-Nayrab military airport in Aleppo were closed for operations after Israeli airstrikes hit Syrian military positions and Iran-backed militia groups at both sites.
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— ????? ????? (@alwatan_sy) October 12, 2023
As of this publication, there have been no reported injuries. This is the first suspected Israel strike into Syria since the Hamas attack over last weekend which left more than 1200 Israelis dead. Israel has made regular strikes against Iran-backed proxies in Syria, even at both of these sites. However, with the heightened tensions between Israel, Syria, Lebanon, Iran, Jordan, and various jihadist groups, these strikes come at a time where a miscalculation could spill into a regional war.
