Israeli missile strikes put Damascus airport out of service, two killed

Israel's military carried out a missile strike targeting the Damascus international airport, putting it out of service and killing two soldiers.

According to the Syrian army, the missile strike on Monday injured two soldiers and caused damage in the nearby areas as well.

This is the second attack in seven months towards the Damascus International airport. The Syrian army had said that the attack deliberately aims to put the airport out of service.

In order to prevent arms shipments from Iran to militant groups backed by Tehran, including Lebanon's Hezbollah, Israel has targeted government-controlled airports and ports in different parts of Syria.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said four people were killed in the strike, say reports.

An opposition war monitor reported that Israeli strikes hit the airport as well as an arms depot close to the facility south of Damascus.

Earlier, the Israeli airstrikes that struck Damascus International Airport caused significant damage to infrastructure and runways.

The airport remained shut for two weeks back in June last year.

Another airstrike that had hit the international airport of the northern city of Aleppo also halted the services for days.

In 2021, Israeli airstrikes struck the port of Latakia.

Israel has acknowledged, however, that it targets bases of Iran-allied militant groups, such as Lebanon's Hezbollah, which has sent thousands of fighters to support Syrian President Bashar Assad's forces, reported sources.

Thousands of Iran-backed fighters have joined Syria's 11-year civil war and helped tip the balance of power in Assad's favor.