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Israel has launched hundreds of airstrikes on Syria since the Syrian Civil War began in 2011, primarily targeting Iran-backed forces and Lebanese Hezbollah fighters. Since the onset of the Gaza War in October 2023, Israel has increased the intensity of its attacks on Syria, with at least three attacks on airports in the country, including Damascus International Airport.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of Attack | 26 November 2023 |
| Target | Damascus International Airport |
| Location | Damascus, Syria |
| Attacker | Israel |
| Method | Airstrikes |
| Weapons | Missiles |
| Aircraft | Israeli warplanes, F-35 warplanes |
| Damage | Runway hit, airport put out of service |
| Casualties | None reported |
| Context | Ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, increased intensity of Israeli attacks on Syria since the onset of the Gaza war in October 2023 |
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What You'll Learn
Israel-Hezbollah conflict
Israel has launched numerous airstrikes in Syria since the country's civil war began in 2011, primarily targeting Iran-backed forces and Lebanese Hezbollah fighters. In October 2023, Israel launched attacks on airports in Syria, including Damascus and Aleppo, putting them out of service. These attacks came just after the onset of the Hamas-Israel war in Gaza, where Hamas launched attacks on Israel from Syrian territory.
The Israel-Hezbollah conflict has been ongoing since 2023. On October 8, 2023, a day after Hamas began its attacks on Israel, Hezbollah joined the conflict, firing on Israeli military outposts in occupied territories. Since then, both sides have been engaged in cross-border military exchanges, with entire communities in Israel and Lebanon being displaced. From October 7, 2023, to September 20, 2024, there were 10,200 cross-border attacks, with Israel responsible for 8,300 of them.
Hezbollah has stated that it will continue attacking Israel until it halts its military operations in Gaza, where over 40,000 Palestinians have been killed. Israel has demanded that Hezbollah withdraw its forces north of the Litani River. Diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict have been unsuccessful so far. In September 2024, Israel intensified its operations with electronic device attacks on Hezbollah's communication systems and assassinations of the group's leaders. On October 1, 2024, the Israeli military invaded southern Lebanon.
The conflict has resulted in significant displacement, with approximately 96,000 individuals forced to leave their homes in northern Israel and over 1.4 million individuals displaced in Lebanon by late October 2024. The ongoing violence has also caused harm and damage to buildings and land along the border. Both sides have maintained their attacks without escalating into a full-scale war.
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To prevent arms shipments to Iran-backed groups
Israel has launched hundreds of airstrikes in Syria since the Syrian Civil War began in 2011, primarily targeting Iran-backed forces and Lebanese Hezbollah fighters, as well as Syrian army positions. Israel has stated that it attacks arms shipments believed to be bound for Iran-backed groups, including Lebanon's Hezbollah.
The Israeli military has admitted to conducting hundreds of sorties against Iran-backed terror groups attempting to gain a foothold in Syria over the last decade. Israel has also repeatedly targeted Syrian air defence systems. Since the war between Israel and Hamas, a Hezbollah ally, began on October 7, 2023, Israeli strikes have intensified.
On November 26, 2023, Israeli airstrikes made Damascus airport inoperable just hours after flights had resumed following a similar attack the previous month. Syrian state media reported that Israeli warplanes carried out a raid targeting the runways of Damascus International Airport, causing material damage and putting the airport out of service.
The Israeli attacks on Damascus airport are part of a broader campaign to prevent arms shipments to Iran-backed groups in the region and to degrade the capabilities of Syrian air defence systems. Israel has also targeted Iranian diplomatic and military facilities in Syria, such as the Iranian consulate in Damascus, which was destroyed by an Israeli airstrike on April 1, 2024, killing 16 people, including eight officers of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and two Syrian civilians.
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To target Iranian consulate
On April 1, 2024, Israel conducted an airstrike on the Iranian consulate annex building in Damascus, Syria, which housed the Iranian ambassador's residence. The building was destroyed, and sixteen people were killed, including eight officers of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and two Syrian civilians. The attack took place during heightened tensions between Israel and Iran and amidst the Gaza War and the Israel-Hezbollah conflict.
The Iranian ambassador, Hossein Akbari, alleged that the consulate building was targeted with six missiles from Israeli F-35 warplanes. Various media outlets, including The Guardian and The New York Times, attributed the attack to Israel, with four Israeli officials anonymously confirming Israeli responsibility to the latter. However, the Israeli government refused to comment.
The primary target of the attack was believed to be Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Zahedi, the Quds Force commander of the IRGC, who was killed. Zahedi was considered a critical figure in the relationship between Iran and Hezbollah. Israel had previously carried out the assassinations of other Iranian officials in Syria, including senior Iranian general Razi Mousavi in December 2023 and Brigadier General Sadegh Omidzadeh, an intelligence officer with the IRGC Quds Force, in January 2024.
The airstrike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus was widely condemned by numerous countries and international organizations, including the Arab League, the European Union, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). Diplomatic buildings are entitled to protections from attack or interference by the host country under international customary law, as outlined in the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the 1963 Convention on Consular Relations.
In response to the attack, Iran publicly blamed Israel and vowed retaliation. Seven Israeli embassies were evacuated due to the potential threat of an Iranian retaliatory attack. On April 13, 2024, Iran retaliated with missile and drone strikes in Israel, targeting the military base from which Israel had launched the attack.
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To target Quds Forces
Israel has launched hundreds of airstrikes on Syria since the Syrian civil war began in 2011. These strikes have primarily targeted Iran-backed forces, including the Quds Forces, and Lebanese Hezbollah fighters, as well as Syrian army positions. Israel has also struck parts of western Syria after rocket fire landed on Israeli-occupied Syrian Golan Heights.
On 1 April 2024, Israel conducted an airstrike on the Iranian embassy complex in Damascus, Syria, destroying the building that housed its consular section. Sixteen people were killed in the strike, including eight officers of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and two Syrian civilians. The suspected primary target of the attack was the Quds Force commander of the IRGC, Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Zahedi, who was killed. According to The Guardian, Zahedi was a critical figure in the relationship between Iran and Hezbollah.
The Iranian consulate annex building, which hosted the Iranian ambassador's residence, was also destroyed by an Israeli airstrike. Iranian ambassador Hossein Akbari alleged that the consulate building was targeted with six missiles from Israeli F-35 warplanes. The Israeli military spokesman claimed that the building was neither a consulate nor an embassy, but a military building of Quds forces "disguised as a civilian structure in Damascus".
Israel has also targeted senior Iranian generals in Syria, such as Razi Mousavi in Damascus on 25 December 2023, and Brigadier General Sadegh Omidzadeh, an intelligence officer with the IRGC Quds Force, on 20 January 2024.
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Intensified attacks since the war with Hamas
Israel has launched hundreds of airstrikes on Syria since the Syrian civil war began in 2011, primarily targeting Iran-backed forces and Lebanese Hezbollah fighters. However, the intensity of these attacks increased after the war with Hamas began on October 7, 2023.
On October 12 and October 22, 2023, Israeli strikes on Damascus and Aleppo airports put both facilities out of service. Flights were rerouted to Latakia on the west coast after the October 22 strikes. This was not the first time Israel had targeted these airports, with similar attacks occurring in the previous month.
On April 1, 2024, Israel conducted another airstrike on the Iranian embassy complex in Damascus, Syria, destroying the building that housed its consular section. Sixteen people were killed in the strike, including eight officers of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and two Syrian civilians. The suspected primary target of the attack was the Quds Force commander of the IRGC, Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Zahedi, who was killed.
The Iranian ambassador, Hossein Akbari, alleged that the consulate building was targeted by Israeli F-35 warplanes. Israel did not confirm its responsibility for the attack, but it had previously notified the US that it would be operating in Syria. The Iranian ambassador survived as he was in the main embassy building adjacent to his residence at the time of the attack.
On April 30, 2025, Israel carried out another strike in Syria, this time against an extremist group that had attacked members of the Druze community. Israel has a small Druze community of its own, and it had promised to defend the minority group as deadly sectarian violence spread near Damascus.
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Frequently asked questions
Israel attacked Damascus airport to prevent the shipment of advanced weapons from Iran to its various Middle East proxies.
Israel attacked Damascus airport on the 26th of November 2023, just hours after flights had resumed.
No, Israel has struck Damascus airport several times, including on the 12th and 22nd of October 2023, putting the facility out of service.
The attacks rendered the airport inoperable and caused material damage. There were no reports of casualties.
Numerous countries and international organizations, including the Arab League, the European Union, and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), have condemned the attacks.
