On Wednesday, the Israeli military launched a large-scale airstrike targeting multiple military bases and infrastructure in Syria, including the capital Damascus, the fourth-largest city of Hama, and the third-largest city of Homs.
The Syrian Foreign Ministry released a statement saying that the airstrikes almost completely destroyed the Hama Military Airport, resulting in dozens of civilians and soldiers being injured.
According to a Syrian military source speaking to Reuters, the Hama Military Airport endured over ten rounds of bombardment, leading to the destruction of the runway, control tower, ammunition depot, and hangars.
The source mentioned, “Israel completely destroyed the Hama Air Base to ensure it cannot be used again, in a planned military operation aimed at weakening the core operational capabilities of the Syrian Air Force.”
Located in the western part of Hama, the Hama Military Airport was a significant base for intense battles between government forces and rebel groups during the Syrian civil war, holding strategic importance in military operations for an extended period.
The following day, Israeli military announced that during a nighttime raid in the Tasil area in southern Syria, they had killed several armed militants. Israeli forces encountered gunfire during the operation and retaliated by deploying ground forces and conducting airstrikes.
Since the ousting of former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad on December 8th last year and the establishment of a new government by Islamist factions, border conflicts between Israel and Syria have escalated.
Israel has emphasized that no radical armed groups will be allowed to establish a presence along the southern border of Syria and has deployed troops to the buffer zone.
The new Syrian government has stated they have no intention to open a new front against Israel.
Since the Assad era, Israel has targeted military facilities and arms transfer routes connected to Iran, especially those transporting weapons to Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Israeli Defense Forces stated that in the latest operation, the airstrikes targeted the remaining military capabilities of the Hama and Tiyas Military Airbases, as well as relevant military facilities in the Damascus area.
According to Israeli military, these actions aim to prevent advanced weapons from falling into the hands of what they view as “jihadist forces” within the Syrian new regime.
Syrian state media and government officials reported that the airstrikes also impacted facilities near the scientific research center in the Barzeh area of Damascus. The center was previously bombed by Israeli forces shortly after Assad’s downfall, with Israel alleging involvement in missile and chemical weapons research.
(This article referenced reports from Reuters and Agence France-Presse)