Israeli airstrikes on Damascus: Russia condemns

 Israeli airstrikes on Damascus: Russia condemns

Israeli airstrikes on Damascus

The Syrian government has confirmed that Damascus International Airport was severely damaged in an Israeli attack last Friday, and has since been temporarily closed.

The Ministry of Transport announced in a statement that the runway of the airport has been closed and all flights to and from Damascus International Airport will be suspended for the time being.

Since the start of the Syrian civil war in 2011, Israel has carried out hundreds of airstrikes against Syria, targeting Syrian and Iranian government forces, as well as Iranian-backed allies and military groups.

However, these attacks have seldom affected the flight process. Earlier, the state news agency SANA quoted a Syrian army official as saying that the Syrian air defense had "intercepted" most of Israel's missiles.

One civilian was reported injured in the latest attack, but no casualties were reported.

Syria's private airline, Cham Wings, has announced that it will transfer all its flights to Aleppo International Airport.

The Syrian Ministry of Transport did not mention in its statement the suspension of flights to the capital and only discussed technical issues.

The ministry said in a statement that in addition to the runway at the airport, the "terminal building" was also damaged.

Damascus International Airport is south of the city where Iranian and Lebanese Hezbollah-linked militants are said to be active. In the first six months of this year alone, the area has been the target of 15 airstrikes.

The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Friday that Israel had targeted an "Iranian militant depot" near the airport, which also damaged the airport's runway.

An Israeli army spokesman declined to comment, according to Reuters.

Israel has repeatedly accused Iran of using the airport to deliver weapons to its allies. Israel, which makes little elaboration on such attacks, says such attacks are necessary to defend Iran and repel it.

Russia has also condemned the attack, which is being hailed as an "extraordinary development." A Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman called the attacks a "complete and unacceptable violation of international law."

Meanwhile, according to local Iranian media, Iranian Foreign Minister Hussein Amir Abdullahian, speaking on the phone with his Syrian counterpart Faisal Muqdad, strongly condemned the attack on Syria and said that ''the Islamic Republic of Iran has always stood by them.The Syrian government and people will continue to do so.''

Amir Abdullahian said the actions were "a clear violation of Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity and a violation of all international law, principles and humanitarian principles."

Faisal Muqdad also stressed that Syria would defend itself in every legitimate way against Israeli attacks.

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