Syria/March 22, 2024: Early Wednesday, an Israeli air strike struck near Syria’s Aleppo airport, causing some damage and for a NOTAM to be issued, according to Syrian authorities. Local sources said an Iranian arms depot was hit during the attack. The strike has currently put the airport out of service.
The Syrian defence ministry said in a statement that this recent attack was Israel’s third offence near the Aleppo airport in the past six months, in which the Israeli Defence Forces had launched many missiles at 3:55 am from the Mediterranean Sea, west of the coastal city of Latakia.
For years, Israel has carried out attacks on what it claims as Iran-linked targets in Syria, in which Iran’s reach has intensified ever since it began backing Assad’s government in the 2011 civil war. While the Israeli Defence Force declined to provide any answer.
Based on regional intelligence sources stated, the strike targeted an underground weapons facility connected to the adjacent Nairab military airport, which harbored missile systems supplied by several Iranian military supply planes, which could be used against Israel. Pro-Iranian militias have increased their authority in Syria’s northern Aleppo province in the last year, where they retain several bases and back local paramilitary groups immensely, the sources said. Israeli missilesIsraeli missilesIsraeli missilesIsraeli missiles.
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The Iranians have frequently used the Nairab airport as the ground for weapon deliveries and troop movement. Western intelligence also indicates that Iran has taken advantage of the heavy air traffic in the past few months, as numerous cargo planes delivered relief material following the February earthquake.
Moreover, on March 7 Israel managed to destroy an entire arms shipment from Iran within hours of its delivery killing three, in the airport. Which were brought in a plane claiming to carry relief material. But as Syria has claimed that the strikes, which have been condemned by its main backer, Russia, and Iran, are hindering the earthquake relief process.
Syria continues to reject all allegations that Iran has a large military presence in the country, even though senior military officials from Iran regularly visit the country and have inked agreements regarding the supply of advanced weapons.
Based on regional intelligence sources stated, the strike targeted an underground weapons facility connected to the adjacent Nairab military airport, which harbored missile systems supplied by several Iranian military supply planes, which could be used against Israel. Pro-Iranian militias have increased their authority in Syria’s northern Aleppo province in the last year, where they retain several bases and back local paramilitary groups immensely, the sources said.
Iran’s use of aerial supply routes to transport weapons to its allies has triggered Israel to go on the counter offence, causing the increase in air strikes on Syrian airports and air bases to disrupt the weapon deliveries. These weapons are delivered to the Iranian-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon. Fighters aligned with Iran, including Hezbollah, now control vast swaths of eastern, southern, and northwestern Syria, as well as several suburbs surrounding the capital, Damascus.
After having more than a thousand rockets fired at it from Hezbollah, Israel knew that the 2006 second war with Lebanon was a wake-up call, after witnessing several mistakes made. Israel sees Iran’s influence throughout the region as a national security threat and is ready to conduct more strikes if the threat is not dealt with.
With a growing threat like Iran, Israel has been very vigilant. Since taking the Iranian problem lightly might end up with Israel paying a huge price. Something the country cannot afford to do in a hundred years, considering its size and the fact that it’s surrounded by enemies on all sides.
https://missilethreat.csis.org/country_tax/israel/
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