Syrian Army Reports Israeli Airstrikes Near Aleppo
The Syrian army has stated that Israeli airstrikes early Friday near the northern city of Aleppo have resulted in casualties, injuries, and material damage. The strikes were reported to have targeted areas in and around Aleppo.
Details of the Airstrikes
- Syrian state media quoted an unnamed military official mentioning that the Israeli strikes coincided with drone attacks by Syrian insurgent groups on civilian targets in Aleppo and its suburbs.
- Reports did not provide an exact number for the casualties, but the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights indicated that at least 36 Syrian soldiers were killed or wounded in the strikes.
- The strikes were said to have hit missile depots for Lebanon’s militant Hezbollah group in Aleppo’s southern suburb of Jibreen near the Aleppo International Airport.
Response and Impact
Syrian state news agency SANA reported that the predawn strike resulted in casualties among both civilians and military personnel. The Observatory mentioned that explosions were still being heard hours after the strikes.
There has been no immediate statement from Israeli officials regarding the airstrikes. Israel has a history of launching strikes on Iran-linked targets in Syria without official acknowledgment.
Hezbollah, which has a significant presence in Syria due to its involvement in the country’s conflict alongside government forces, has been a target of such attacks in the past.
Aleppo, once Syria’s largest city and commercial center, has faced similar incidents in the past that led to the closure of its international airport. However, Friday’s strike did not impact the airport.
The airstrikes near Aleppo have intensified in recent months amid the broader regional tensions, including the conflict in Gaza and clashes between Hezbollah and Israeli forces along the Lebanon-Israel border.