An Israeli F-16 fighter jet en route to an exercise in Germany in an undated photograph. (Israel Defense Forces)
The recent Israeli strikes on the northern Syrian governorate of Aleppo targeted Iranian-made air defense systems and military equipment destined to Hezbollah in neighboring Lebanon, Al-Arabiya reported on May 4, citing informed sources.
The May 1 strikes targeted, according to the Saudi-owned news channel, Nairab military airport, which is located right next to Aleppo International Airport. Both airports were reportedly placed out of service as a result of the Israeli attack.
Prior to the Israeli strikes, the airport received several cargo flights by the Iranian Air Force and the privately-owned Qeshm Air, Al-Arabiya’s sources said.
The channel said that the strikes were carried out by six fighter jets of the Israeli Air Force, adding that the attack lasted for around 50 minutes. These claims are in contrast with a recent Russian Ministry of Defense statement that said the attack was carried out by two fighter jets only.
Al-Arabia didn’t provide any details on the air defense systems and military equipment which were allegedly destroyed in the strikes.
While the channel reported that Nairab military airport was the only target of the attack, other news sources said that a large complex of the Syrian Scientific Studies and Research Center (SSRC) located near the town of al-Safira in the southern countryside of the governorate was also hit.
The SSRC develops and produces military equipment, including precision-guided missiles and drones, for the Syrian Arab Army and its allies, with alleged support from Iran. The center’s facilities were targeted by Israel on several occasions in the past.
In an initial statement, the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency said that the Israeli strikes on Aleppo killed a service member and wounded seven, including two civilians. Later, it was reported that three service members, all of whom were air defense officers, had lost their lives in the attack.
The attack on Aleppo came just two days after a series of Israeli strikes that targeted a fuel station located on a highway leading to the central Syrian city of Homs, as well as al-Dabaa air base in the southern countryside of the governorate, where Iranian military personnel and fighters from Hezbollah are known to be stationed. The strikes wounded three civilians and caused some material losses.
The recent strikes on Homs and Aleppo preceded a very important visit by Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi to Syria. Preventing Tehran from establishing a lasting presence in Syria has been Tel Aviv’s main pretext for its covert military campaign against the war-torn country from the start.
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