Israeli attack on Syrian Aleppo airport puts it out of service

People try to extinguish fire on cars following a rocket attack from the Gaza Strip in Ashkelon, southern Israel, on October 7, 2023. Palestinian militant group Hamas has launched a "war" against Israel, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said, after barrages of rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory on October 7AFP

Israel has launched an air strike against Syria's Aleppo Airport late on Saturday that put it out of service, the Syrian defence ministry said. 

"The Israeli enemy carried out an air attack from the direction of the Mediterranean Sea, west of Latakia, targeting Aleppo International Airport, which led to material damage to the airport and it being out of service," the ministry added. 

The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 

The airport just got to service on Saturday after simultaneous missile attacks by Israeli forces on the airports in Syria's capital Damascus and the northern city of Aleppo had damaged the runways and put both hubs out of service on Thursday.  

The Damascus airport is still out of service. 

Sources have said strikes on the airports are intended to disrupt Iranian supply lines to Syria, where Tehran's influence has grown since it began supporting President Bashar al-Assad in the civil war that started in 2011.