Roberta Aguirre
Israel has been accused of bombing the Aleppo airport in Syria multiple times, with the most recent attack in October 2023. Syrian state media reported that Israeli strikes damaged the airport runways, forcing them out of service. While Israel has not officially commented on the strikes, it has carried out hundreds of attacks on targets inside government-controlled parts of Syria, particularly targeting Iranian supply lines to Syria and Iranian-backed groups such as Hezbollah. These attacks come amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, with Israel aiming to disrupt Iranian influence and support for Hamas in the region.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of the attack | 28 August 2023 |
| Time of the attack | Around 4:30 a.m. |
| Location of the attack | Aleppo International Airport, Syria |
| Perpetrator | Israel |
| Weapon used | Airstrike |
| Damage | Material damage, runway damaged, airport put out of service |
| Casualties | No casualties reported |
| Motive | To disrupt Iranian supply lines to Syria and prevent arms shipments from Iran |
| Previous attacks | The airport has been targeted several times in the past, including two attacks in March |
| Accusations | Syria accused Israel of bombing the airport four times in two weeks |
| Skirmishes | Continued on the Lebanon border with Hezbollah terror group |
| IDF response | Israel Defense Forces did not immediately comment on the strike but later struck Syrian military targets |
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What You'll Learn
Israel's motive to disrupt Iranian supply lines to Syria
Israel has been accused of bombing the Aleppo airport in Syria, causing material damage and rendering it out of service. This incident is part of a series of strikes by Israel on Syrian airports, including Damascus and Aleppo, which have been out of service due to runway damage from missile attacks. These strikes are intended to disrupt Iranian supply lines to Syria, where Tehran's influence has grown since the civil war in 2011.
Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes on targets inside government-controlled parts of Syria, including attacks on airports and seaports, to prevent arms shipments from Iran to Iranian-backed groups such as Hezbollah. Israel has targeted the port of Latakia and the airport in Damascus, and has also intercepted an Iranian cargo plane heading towards Beirut airport, forcing it to return to Tehran.
Hezbollah, a Lebanese militant group that has transformed into a menacing terrorist army, is backed by Iran, which has steadily built up its arsenal by shipping weapons to Lebanon and Syria. Israel has sought to disrupt this flow of weapons by bombing raids on targets in Syria. Hezbollah has also been pursuing the capability to manufacture advanced weapons on a large scale in Lebanon, but it remains heavily dependent on Iranian resupply.
Israel's actions in Syria are part of its efforts to counter the Iranian axis of resistance and protect its security. Israeli leaders view their country as imperiled and are determined to prevent Iranian weapons shipments to Hezbollah and other Iranian-backed groups. Israel's mistrust of Syria's government and its alliance with Iran have contributed to its aggressive posture in the region.
To summarize, Israel's motive for disrupting Iranian supply lines to Syria is to prevent the transfer of weapons and military equipment to Iranian-backed groups, such as Hezbollah, and to counter Iranian influence in the region. Israel sees these actions as necessary for its security and to protect itself from perceived threats posed by Iran and its proxies.
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Israel's war with Hamas terrorists in the Gaza Strip
On 7 October 2023, Hamas-led militant groups launched a surprise attack on Israel, killing 1,195 Israelis and foreign nationals, including 815 civilians, and taking hostages. This attack marked the beginning of the Israel-Hamas War, also referred to as the Gaza War. In response to the attack, Israel launched military strikes in the Gaza Strip, killing at least 60 people, according to Palestinian medics. Israel's stated objectives were to "destroy Hamas, demilitarize Gaza, and deradicalize the whole of Palestinian society".
The Gaza Strip has been governed by Hamas, an Islamist militant group, since 2007. Israel imposed a blockade of the Gaza Strip, citing security concerns, which significantly damaged its economy. This blockade has been criticized by international rights groups as a form of collective punishment. As a result, 81% of people in the Gaza Strip were living below the poverty line in 2023, with 63% being food insecure.
The Israeli offensive in the Gaza War has resulted in a high number of casualties and displacement. Over 52,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been reported killed, with more than 110,000 injured. Nearly all of the strip's 2.3 million Palestinian population have been forcibly displaced. Israeli forces have also targeted hospitals, agricultural land, religious and cultural landmarks, educational facilities, and cemeteries, causing unprecedented destruction and rendering large parts of Gaza uninhabitable.
Efforts have been made to negotiate a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. In late January to early March 2025, a brief ceasefire and a series of hostage exchanges took place. However, hostilities resumed after the failure of negotiations for a second phase of the ceasefire. Egyptian mediators have proposed subsequent phases towards a more lasting end to the fighting, but the situation remains unresolved as of May 2025, with Israel causing a severe hunger crisis and a high risk of famine in Gaza.
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Syria's condemnation of the raids as a war crime
Syria has accused Israel of bombing Aleppo airport for the fourth time in two weeks, with Israeli fighter jets carrying out strikes that have knocked the airport out of service. Syrian state-run media reported that the attack caused material damage to the airport's runway, forcing its closure for repairs. There were no reported casualties or injuries.
Israel has not immediately commented on the strike, which is part of a series of attacks on airports in Syria, including in Damascus, the country's capital. These strikes are intended to disrupt Iranian supply lines to Syria, where Tehran's influence has grown since the civil war began in 2011.
While Syria has not explicitly mentioned war crimes in its condemnation of the recent Israeli raids, the country has experienced a devastating civil war that has been marked by war crimes and human rights abuses committed by various parties, including the Syrian government, opposition groups, and foreign actors.
The Syrian government, led by President Bashar al-Assad, has been accused of using chemical weapons (chlorine gas) against civilians, conducting torture, extrajudicial killings, and indiscriminate aerial bombardment, resulting in mass civilian casualties. These actions led to international condemnation and calls for al-Assad to be convicted in the International Criminal Court (ICC). Additionally, the government and its supporters were found responsible for at least eight intentional mass killings between 2012 and mid-2013 by a UN commission.
Opposition groups have also committed war crimes, including the unlawful killing and torture of captured soldiers, militiamen, and civilian collaborators. In 2012, the United Nations-sponsored "Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic" confirmed these abuses and stated that while the opposition committed war crimes, they "did not reach the gravity, frequency, and scale" of those perpetrated by state forces. Furthermore, rebel groups have been implicated in the mutilation of the bodies of fallen enemies, which is considered a war crime by Human Rights Watch (HRW).
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Israel's history of targeting Syrian airports
Israel has a history of targeting Syrian airports and other infrastructure as part of its military strategy to diminish Syria's air defence capabilities. In 2023, Israel was reported to have carried out strikes on the Damascus and Aleppo airports, damaging runways and rendering them out of service. These strikes were attributed to Israel's attempt to disrupt Iranian supply lines to Syria, specifically targeting arms shipments from Iran to Iranian-backed groups in Syria, such as Hezbollah.
The Israeli military does not typically comment on specific strikes in Syria, but it has been reported that Israel has conducted hundreds of strikes within Syria over the years. These strikes often target Syrian military forces and Iranian-backed groups, as well as Syrian air defence systems. Israel has also targeted airfields, anti-aircraft batteries, missiles, drones, fighter jets, tanks, and weapon production sites, significantly degrading Syria's strategic weapons capabilities.
The conflict between Israel and Syria escalated further in 2024, with Israel invading a buffer zone in southwestern Syria and launching extensive aerial and naval strikes on Syrian military targets. Israel's campaign resulted in the destruction of Syria's military capabilities, including its navy and chemical weapons stockpiles. Israel also targeted Syrian intelligence and customs headquarters, as well as ammo depots and naval assets.
The strikes on Syrian airports, specifically the repeated targeting of the Aleppo airport, have been a persistent tactic in Israel's military strategy. These strikes have disrupted transportation and communication hubs in Syria, impacting both military and civilian operations. Israel's military actions in Syria have been described as a dangerous escalation, with Syria accusing Israel of destabilizing the country and infringing on its sovereignty.
The conflict between Israel and Syria is complex and dynamic, with shifting strategic objectives and ongoing tensions. Israel's targeting of Syrian airports, particularly the Aleppo airport, has been a recurring tactic in its military strategy, aiming to disrupt Iranian influence and degrade Syria's military capabilities.
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The death of a civilian worker and wounding of another
The Syrian civil war, which began in 2011, has seen Iran support President Bashar al-Assad. Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes on targets inside government-controlled parts of Syria in recent years, including attacks on airports and seaports. These strikes often target Syrian military forces or Iranian-backed groups.
Israel has targeted airports in Syria in an attempt to prevent arms shipments from Iran to Iranian-backed groups such as Hezbollah. The strikes are also intended to disrupt Iranian supply lines to Syria.
The Israeli military carried out an airstrike on Aleppo airport in October 2023, which put the airport out of service. This was the fourth time the airport had been hit in two weeks. The strike damaged the runway, and there were no reported casualties.
However, in a separate incident, Syrian state media reported the death of a civilian worker at Damascus airport and the wounding of another. This was the second time that simultaneous strikes had hit the Damascus and Aleppo airports since the beginning of the Israeli bombardment of Gaza.
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Frequently asked questions
Israel targeted the Aleppo airport to disrupt Iranian supply lines to Syria.
The bombing caused material damage to the airport and put it out of service. There were no reported casualties.
Syria's foreign ministry condemned the raids as a "war crime" and called for Israel to be held accountable.
Since 2011, Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes on targets inside government-controlled parts of Syria, often targeting Iranian-backed groups such as Hezbollah. The conflict is part of a broader struggle between Iran and its archenemy, Israel, for influence in the region.
